


What the hell are we?

by Dan13la



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Allies, Angst and Feels, Attempt at Humor, Christmas Fluff, Denial, Drunk Liam Dunbar, Drunk Theo, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Good Theo Raeken, Happy Ending, Hurt Theo Raeken, Idiots in Love, Jealous Liam, Jealous Theo, Jealousy, Just Friends, Liam Dunbar is Theo Raeken's Anchor, M/M, Pining, Post-Season/Series 06, Protective Liam Dunbar, Protective Theo Raeken, Sex, Slow Burn, Theo Raeken is Liam Dunbar's Anchor, Theo Raeken is Part of the Pack, Theo doesn't know how handle feelings, Thiam, after the war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-10 10:18:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 40,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17424023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dan13la/pseuds/Dan13la
Summary: Theo and Liam have a one night-stand, the night after the end of the war. The next day they make a deal to not talk about it anymore and to be just friends. That's the story of how they're going to slowly screw up the deal.The title is from the song Friends, by Chase Atlantic.English is not my language, sorry for any mistake!





	1. Just Friends

Liam felt his body clash against his bedroom's closed door. He groaned, immediately stifled by Theo's lips on his own, lips that were sought, tongues intertwined and hands that ran through each reachable flap of skin.

He did not even know how they had got at that point. A moment ago they were at the hospital, in front of Gabe's body, the next they were in the pick-up to Liam's house, and Liam had asked Theo to stay with him for that night, and a moment later, they were kissing hastily and urgently stumbling in the entrance and up the stairs.

Liam stumbled his hand away from Theo's back, groping around beside him to find the damned handle of the door. And when he found it, he turned it without hesitation. The pressure on the door caused it to open wide, and slam with a deafening clang. Fortunately, his parents were not at home that weekend!

Without separating even for a second, Theo trudged pushing Liam too and ending up on the beta’s bed. Theo panted against his lips, hands gripping the sheets beneath him as he shifted his attention to Liam's neck and chest. Liam made a faint growl, pulling Theo's lips back against his, before reversing their positions with a quick move.

Theo chuckled "Bully" 

"Shut up, Theo" Theo moved his hands back onto the beta back, sliding them under the shirt, caressing his skin with eagerness. Liam groaned when Theo bit his bottom lip hard, "Asshole" he whispered to him.

"Let me strip you" Theo commented, amused, sitting up and carrying Liam with him, now sitting on his lap. Theo quickly took off his shirt and then began to kiss him frantically. Liam instead grabbed Theo's shirt snatching it without much preamble, earning a judging glance from Theo. "That's the way you want it?" Theo challenged him. 

And instead of letting himself fall down on his back, he pushed forward, so that Liam was back again below him. Liam let out a faint snarl before ending up again silenced by Theo's soft lips on his.

He thought perhaps that he could leave control in Theo. After all, what did he suppose to control? He did not even know what was happening right now, how it happened, how they got there and why. What they would do tomorrow, how they would look at each other. He only knew that he wanted Theo to continue to kiss him, now and all night long.

He felt Theo hands reach the button of his jeans and undo it. Liam gasped again against Theo's lips, and probably winced, because Theo separated himself from him a few millimeters, just to be able to speak looking into his eyes. "Have you ever done it?" He asked. "Yes," Liam snapped, amused.

"With a guy?" 

"..No" he replied wavering this time.

"Do you want me to stop?" 

"No!" 

Theo chuckled before kissing him again, as he hardly freed him from his pants.

"Have you ever done it?" Liam panted. 

"No, I never even kissed someone like this." Liam held back hardly from uttering a snarl of satisfaction at that phrase, and tried to ignore the idea of possession that had crossed his mind. But he could not avoid his hands reaching Theo's jeans, clinging to them firmly. He would have torn them like the shirt, if Theo had not stopped him. "Stop, tiger, I will still need of my clothes tomorrow" And he quickly got rid of it without further damage, getting on top of him again.

They struggled a little longer for the predominance, slipping in the meantime under the sheets and getting rid of all the clothes left on them. In the end, Theo had the better, and now was on top of Liam, the hands that nailed the wrists of the beta against the mattress, while the lips moved on his hot and sweaty body.

"How do you know what to do?" Liam asked weakly. 

"I do not know, I go with my gut" 

" _Uh_ ... g-great," Liam panted, when Theo's lips left a plain mark on his neck, while the older boy settled better between the legs of the younger.

"Are you sure about this, Liam?" Theo asked him cautiously. 

Hell, he would not have stopped even if he had wanted at that point "I'm not a damn little girl, Theo, just do it" the beta muttered, to which Theo obeyed, slipping slowly and awkwardly inside him. Liam girdled Theo's waist with his legs, plunging his nose into the hollow of Theo's shoulder and pulling him closer, while he repeated the undulating movement of his hips.

They went on all night long, until the tiredness got the better of them, and the adrenaline probably due to being survivors of a war disappeared, letting them sink into the warmth of sleep.

 

*

 

When he woke up the next day Liam was not surprised to find that the place next to his in the bed was empty. Theo was gone, and probably if he had woken up first, he would have gone too, the hell that that was his house.

What had happened between them? Hell, he just had sex with  _Theo Raeken_ . Scott would probably have disowned him as a son if he found out. Liam sighed again and plunged his head into the pillow, and at that moment a post-it slid down from the pillow next to his. Liam looked at him questioningly before taking it and reading it.

 

_It was an incredible night, let's do it again sometimes;) PS. You snore_

 

_Bastard_ . Yet he could not help but suppress a smile as he closed his eyes again

 

*

 

"Tell me what we're doing here" Mason just said, stepping out of his car, which he had just parked outside the park.

"I told you, I need to get back to normal as soon as possible, so let's play lacrosse"

"Let's play lacrosse? Yesterday we almost died and today we play lacrosse?"

Liam nodded with a smile, closing the front door and opening the back door to catch the lacrosse stick. Mason imitated him by taking on his side a net full of balls.

"Okay, but you owe me at least a pizza" Mason said, returning the smile to his best friend.

 

They settled on the lawn a few yards away from each other, Liam with the stick in his hand and Mason with the balls at his feet, of which he held one in his hand.

"Anyway, you look far too relaxed for someone who's almost dead, I just couldn't sleep tonight" Mason complained, throwing him the ball, which Liam promptly grabbed. Then Mason chuckled. "If I did not know it's impossible, I would say that you look like someone who had sex"

Here, Liam is one of those people absolutely incapable of lying, so his expression at that moment had to be worth a thousand words, because Mason opened his eyes wide, stopping his hand in midair. "I can't believe it, you  _had sex_ "

"No," Liam replied, not at all convincing, with the look that went everywhere except on Mason.

"I can't believe it" Mason repeated. "Where did you find time to get laid? And with who again? And why did not you tell me?! I'm your best friend!"

"It's not such a big deal" Liam gave up lying, with Mason was useless. "It just happened. I was there, he was there, we were both alive, and a moment later we were both naked"

At that point Mason had opened his eyes so wide that Liam worried that they would drop at any moment. "He?  _He_ ?! Have you slept with a  _guy_ ?" 

"What's so absurd? I told you, it just happened"

"These things don't  _just happened_ " Mason rolled his eyes. "Oh my god, now what will you tell me? That the one you had sex with was Theo Raeken?" He chuckled then.

Again, Liam's face had to be worth a thousand words because this time he got the ball straight against his nose. "Ouch, Mason!"

"Did you have sex with  _Theo fucking Reaken_ ?!"

"You know, could you scream louder? I'm sure Jackson and Ethan did not hear you in London"

"Liam, this is the most absurd thing I've heard since you told me you're a werewolf." Mason continued carelessly, but this time there was a strange smirk on his face. "So, how was it?"

This time Liam blushed. " _Mason_ !"

"You can not expect that I don't ask you about it"

"I should not tell you since you just broke my nose with a lacrosse ball"

"It will heal" Mason said with a wave of his hand. "Soo?  _Theo_ ?"

Liam rolled his eyes and stared at the ground as he struck it distractedly with the lacrosse stick "It was strange, nice though. I don't ... I don't even know what that means. I never thought about it before yesterday"

"Perhaps you were attracted to him even before, but the fear amplified by the Anuk-ite kept you from feeling it. Then when he died, it exploded"

"Exploded is the right word" Liam shook his head, blushing. "Anyway, I told you, it doesn't mean anything. Theo and me are just friends, period"

"What does he say?"

Liam shrugged. "I do not know, this morning when I woke up, he was gone"

"He left after sex?"

"He left a post-it"

"He left a post it" Mason repeated impassively. "And let's hear, what did this post-it say?"

"Um ... _It was an incredible night ..._ "

"Aw so sweet"

" _Let's do it again sometimes_ with a wink"

"I withdraw everything, what an asshole"

"And he wrote me that I snore, in a PS"

"So romantic"

The two remained silent for a while, looking at each other. "And now?" Mason asked.

Liam shrugged. "Weren't we here to play lacrosse?"

Mason rolled his eyes. "I meant with Theo"

"Ah" Liam looked around. "Let's play lacrosse that's better"

Mason sighed, and if another ball would hit Liam on the nose, perhaps he would not have minded.

 

*

 

The next day Liam decided to take another break from school. He was not ready to see everyone again. On the other hand, his mother had looked at his unkempt look with a judgmental eye, and had forced him into a chair while she patiently cut his hair.

Once in his room, he stared at the mirror. He liked short hair, but they made him look like a kid, as if he was sixteen years old. He grabbed the hood of the sweatshirt and put it on his head as if he did not want to look and threw himself deadweight on the bed.

He sighed and could not help thinking of Theo. It was almost two days that he did not see him. That bastard really wanted to disappear after-

He heard something hit the window violently. He sat up, and stood up to open it, just as what looked like a stone hit the glass and bounced back. Liam opened the window, and the stone this time hit his forehead.

"Sorry" To hear that voice at that moment made him almost forget about the stone, and he turned to look down, where Theo grinned amused.

"What the hell are you doing under my window?"

"I draw your attention"

"Do you know that they invented mobile phones?" Liam followed Theo with his eyes "-or the entrance doors?" He added when he saw him climb up the wall until he reached the windowsill.

"So it would not be fun"

Liam snorted. "Oh Theo, Theo, why are you, Theo?" He teased then.

"Do you know that this makes you Juliet?"

"Fuck you, I'm not Juliet" he exclaimed, backing away to make room for him.

Theo stood up, settling his crumpled sweatshirt, chuckling. "But you have long enough hair to be her"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but my hair is gone" he said, pulling the hood out to show him his new hairstyle.

"Oh my god, I feel like I'm back in time. Even the height is still the same "

"Fuck you, again"

Theo laughed again, looking at Liam sitting at the end of the bed. The beta looked up and looked at Theo's, now serious. And for the first time since he had arrived, he felt himself blushing at the thought of two nights before.

"Um ... where have you been?" He asked to quench the tension. Theo sighed as he sat next to him. "Around, I checked the preserve to make sure everything is okay"

Liam looked at him. "You should not do these things alone"

"I can take care of myself"

"I know you can take care of yourself, it's about others that I'm worried about"

"Ah-ah funny"

Silence again fell.  _Think of something, think of something-_

"Listen, Liam ..." Theo cleared his throat. Liam did everything to keep his heart from accelerating. He would not have given that bastard the satisfaction of seeing him nervous for him. "By the way ... about the other night, I ..."

"Yes, the other night ... it was ... it was ..."

"Strange?" Theo suggested.

"Strange" He agreed. They looked at each other for a moment, as if it were not the word they wanted to use.

"Here I ... I do not want to ruin things, I know that things have happened between us, but we're starting to get along, and I do not want pulling everything off, neither with you, nor with rest of the pack"

"Ye-yeah you are right. It just happened. It will not happen again and we'll never talk about it again. Just friends as before, right?" Liam mumbled. "Okay, maybe more than before"

Theo laughed. "Okay, it seems like we have a deal"

They fell silent again, then Liam cleared his throat. "Me and Mason are going to eat a pizza tonight- Probably Corey too. Do you want to join us?" Theo looked at him a second before smiling and nodding "Okay, sure" 

"Well, let's go then"

They got up together, Liam pointing at the door and Theo at the window. "Seriously?" Liam asked him.

"See you down" Theo laughed before stepping over the sill. Liam rolled his eyes and left the room, closing the door behind him.

 

TO BE CONTINUED.

  
 


	2. Co-capitains

"You know, I think it's the very first party we're going to that doesn't include supernatural disasters since we entered high school," Mason said thoughtfully, tossed on Liam's bed with the joystick in his hand.

Liam from the floor turned to look at him. "It's not a real party, Mase," he pointed out. "Melissa, Argent, the sheriff and Parrish will be there, and Derek too, who is probably the least party person I've ever met. And we can not get drunk "

"What kind of guy is this Derek?" Mason asked curious "Argent with the fangs" Mason widened his eyes "It looks scary" Liam chuckled.

"Anyway, seriously - remember the bonfire in the first year?"

"You mean that time when I was almost burned alive?"

" _That's the point_. And then that time to the Sinema, with that chimera scorpion who has almost practically killed Corey. And party at Scott's with the Ghost Riders? "Mason counted on his fingers and then shook his head. "We had a horrible youth"

"It's not easy to go to parties when someone tries to kill you day in and day out" Liam said.

"You know, we should have fun now that we can. Before another supernatural apocalypse felt on us "

"That's why we're going to a party tonight"

"I thought it was not a party" Liam rolled his eyes.

 

Scott had decided to organize a small party for the pack and its allies at his home, to celebrate the end of the battle and the defeat of the Anuk-ite. Actually, there was not much to celebrate. After all, Monroe had only run away, it was not over yet. But Mason was right. They deserved a little peace and normality for once. It was also the last chance to be all together, since Lydia, Stiles, Scott and Malia were about to leave. In college, in Virginia or in France, wherever it was, they were about to leave. The war had only delayed the inevitable. Liam knew it, but that he was ready for this was a different story. He sighed in distress.

 

"Are you thinking about Theo?" Mason asked amusedly.

Liam gave him an unimpressed look. " _No Mason_ , as oppose to how you like to think, I do not spend every second of my life thinking about Theo"

"Sure? Green eyes, Liam, perfect skin, perfect body, six-pack abs- "

"Bla bla bla" Liam shouted above him, looking away and making him laugh.

"Did you talk about it in the end?" Liam nodded. "And-?"

"We made a deal," he muttered, continuing to concentrate on the game. "A deal?" Mason repeated confused.

"It will not happen again and we will not talk about it again"

Mason stood looking at him, bewildered as his sniper died inside the screen. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Sure, Mason," he snorted. "As I told you I do not think about Theo every second of my life" _At most once a day, or maybe two, but who's counting?_

"You know, maybe I'll be wrong ... but I have the strange feeling that all that will backfire on you sooner or later"

"Why should it?" Liam asked, frowning at his best friend, who sighed exasperatedly.

"First of all, because _you_ are absolutely incapable of ' _ignoring anything and not talking about it_ '"

"I can surely do it" "Okay we'll see," Mason challenged him with a sneer. "We'll see"

 

They went back to watching the TV screen, trading with the joysticks to restart a new game.

"Hey Mase" "Mhh?" "Theo will be at this party?" Mason turned to look at him as if he did not believe he had lasted only a few minutes. "What?" Liam exclaimed, puzzled.

 

*

 

When Liam entered the front door, he saw that everyone was already there, frantically busy with something or talking. He looked around, and to his surprise he found himself immediately looking at Theo, in the middle of a conversation with Derek and Peter a few steps near the kitchen island. And if on the one hand, his heart jumped slightly when in the same instant Theo looked up at him, on the other he could not help but shudder at the combination. _Theo, Peter and Derek?_

 

"What are you staring at, dude?" He heard Mason's sarcastic voice coming from behind him and he turned to blast him. Corey also giggled beside him.

"Why does Corey giggle as if he knew something he shouldn't have known?"

"Because I know something I _really_ didn't want to know," he replied, nodding.

" _Mason_!" "You have made a secrets act, not me." "Secre-" Liam was about to kill his best friend, _seriously_ , when someone approached him and put a glass in his hand. "Stop with that long nose, Liam, we're at a party," Lydia said, ruffling his hair "I like your new look" And she turned to go back to Stiles.

 

When someone knocked on the door, Liam flipped open to suppress his killing instinct. Only to find himself in front of Nolan. It was not very helpful.

His eyes widened slightly. "What are you doing here?" "Um, Scott invited me," he replied hesitantly. "Ah okay" And he made room for him to pass.

Nolan entered the house cautiously, almost expecting an attack. Liam sighed and patted his shoulder. "Relax, it's okay, you're welcome here." Nolan grinned before nodding, while Corey, who had approached with Mason, offered him a glass. Nolan drank it down all at once. "Sorry if I pierced you with a pen, Corey," he mumbled then quickly. "Hello to you too, Nolan"

 

Liam shook his head amused and turned back to the party. Again his gaze fell automatically on Theo, Derek and Peter, and he met Theo's green eyes that were already looking in his direction. Immediately Theo looked away, and looked back at Derek.

 

His heart jumped again. _Probably it is only because of the absurdity of this situation_ , he forced himself to think. _It's just embarrassment. Soon it will fade and everything will come back as before. Yes. Nobody will ever talk about it again-_

 

"Hey Liam" Liam jumped when Scott appeared beside him, clapping him on the shoulder. "Everything okay?"

"Mm-mmh, you? Ready to go? "

Scott sighed. "Ready is not the word I'd use, but it's time to do it"

Scott looked around the room, looking at all their friends, and Liam did the same. There was a strange feeling in his chest, as if that was definitely the end of something. As if something was definitely going to change. And as if attracted by a magnet, his eyes returned to Theo. "Hey Theo" Liam jumped, _had he thought out loud?_ Then he realized that it was Scott who called Theo with a wave of his hand. "Scott" Theo said approaching, with a quick glance at the alpha, and then looking at Liam "Liam"

"I need to talk with you two," Scott said, his expression serious now. Liam's eyes widened. _Had he found out about them? No , no way._ "Let's go outside, for now I do not want others to know, I'll talk to them later and more calmly"

 _Oh no, he knows -_ Liam was starting to literally sweat it out.

Scott opened the door and led them to the porch, where he stopped in front of them.

"What's the matter?" Theo asked. Liam looked at him as if he were stupid. _He really did not realize that they were fucked?_ Apparently Theo didn't see it in that way.

"I know we've had our problems in the past, but I see that something has changed, and I've seen that you two have grown closer lately, though-"

 _He knows, he knows-_ Panic was about to get the better of Liam, and his brain disconnected from his mouth.

 _"I'm sorry, Scott, I swear it happened only once, I will never have sex with Theo again!"_ He blurted it out. Theo's eyes widened and he facepalmed, while Scott stood in front of them looking at them motionless and shocked.

"Oh god you broke Scott," Theo noted amused. Liam looked at the upset and almost petrified alpha in front of him, like he has seen the Anuk-ite himself. "Scott?"

"Man, if I had known last year that was enough to get rid of him-" Theo joked, earning an elbow in the ribs from Liam "Ouch"

 

At that moment Stiles came out of the door with a bowl of popcorn in his hand, his hand fumbling in it, slapping them in his mouth. With his mouth still full, he turned around and noticed them. "Hey-ays" "What language was it?"

Stiles swallowed watching them and then Scott. "Okay, who broke Scott?" He asked in exasperation. "What did you tell him? Scott, I've already explained to you that you will not lose your hair in the fur change season, you got it? "Scott looked at him finally and put a hand to his hair. "Ah, thanks," he whispered. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Liam and Theo in front of him. "You just said you and Theo _had sex_!?" he exclaimed.

Stiles widened his eyes and threw himself on the porch bench in front of them, starting to eat his popcorn again. "This is much better than 'The Notebook'"

"How the hell did it happen?" Scott exclaimed, looking at them.

"Well ..." Theo began. "There's a bee and a flower ..."

Liam gave him a slap shutting him, while Stiles chuckled. "Oh why the hell did I leave?" He exclaimed, eating another handful of popcorn.

"Okay Stiles, I need brandy, bring it to me" "How much?" "All the bottle"

"You _do_ know you can not get drunk, do you?"

"Yes, but I can smash it on my head to forget about that"

"It's not _that_ bad," Theo said.

"Shut up" Scott and Liam exclaimed simultaneously as Stiles disappeared into the house.

"I can clearly remember the moment when you practically jumped on me, you can not blame me for this"

Liam blushed " _You_ jumped on me!" He then protested indignantly.

"You literally ripped my shirt off me"

"You deserved it, for mine you ripped at the zoo"

"Still, Liam? _Seriously_? So maybe I should break your nose to even the score. And it will probably take me all night"

"You-" "Okay stop, now" Scott stopped them taking a deep breath. Then he looked at them curiously. "This is not the turn I wanted this conversation to take," he noted.

"Ditto, thank you Liam" Liam rolled his eyes.

"That was not what I wanted to talk about, and _surely_ I did not need to know about it," Scott muttered sarcastically.

Theo and Liam looked at each other quickly before returning to Scott. "Then? If it's not about me and Theo having sex, what did you want to talk to us in private? "

Theo breathed to keep calm "Stop saying that"

"Yes, please, Liam, stop saying that "

"Okay okay" Liam held up his hands in surrender.

 

Scott took another deep breath. "Since we're leaving for a long time, I want to make sure that Liam is not alone in Beacon Hills"

"I'm not alone, there's Mason, and Corey-"

"You'd be the only werewolf, and I know how rash you can be sometimes"

"It's not true!"

"Liam, you threw yourself against a thousand-year-old ten-feet-high werewolf and you threw yourself from a balcony on a ghost rider's horse," Theo reminded him.

"And I'm alive"

"Not because of you of course" Liam growled.

"Do you want to stop it? That's why I'd like to ask Theo to stay in Beacon Hills "

"Should I babysit Liam? "Theo asked amusedly.

"No, you two should... just watch your backs"

"Theo and I?" Liam asked skeptically.

"Should we like to team up?"

"Yes, let's put it this way-" Scott said "In this game, you will be co-captains"

Theo and Liam looked back at each others. "Well, we can not say that we do not have a blast together," Theo observed, earning another elbow. Scott laughed.

"Let's go back inside, come on, there's a party on"

And he turned his back to them and went inside and crossed Stiles. "Sorry, Scott, your mother seized my brandy, she said it can't be wasted on your head" Scott slapped him on the shoulder. "Whatever, nothing will ever be strong enough to make me forget about that"

 

Theo looked at Liam, both still stuck on the porch. "What?" Liam asked him.

"You are awful in honoring the deals" And he turned his back to get into the house, with Liam on his heels, unable to hold back a smile "Oh sure, because you are honesty and loyalty made in person"

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 


	3. Head and heart

Theo could hardly sleep at night. Sleeping in the back seat of his pickup seemed to get more and more uncomfortable night after night. May be 'cause of the cold that penetrates his bones while he is laying there looking at the roof, may be 'cause of the deputy on duty that knocks on his window the second before he is about to fall asleep, may be 'cause of the nightmare about his dead sister that rips his heart out that creeps into his subconscious as soon as he closes his eyes ... or may be 'cause of Liam who punctually calls him to the cell phone whenever none of the previous hypotheses occurs.

 

And tonight is not different. Theo had just lost feeling in his feet - wondering if the Dread Doctors had secretly made him partly Abominable Snowman, because he should have been dead for hypothermia nights ago at that point - but he had anyway managed to finally close his eyes, sleep that made his eyelids feel heavy ... when the damn cell phone rang. Once, twice. Theo jumped on the spot, cursing and grabbing it. _Liam_. Again.

 

It's true. He could ignore it. He could turn it off. He could do many things actually, but, Theo still wondered why, he did what he had done every single night before. He answered.

 

"What the hell do you want again?" He asked abruptly.

 

"Hello to you too" Liam's cheerful voice answered on the other end of the line.  
  
“ _Liam_ , it's almost 2:00 in the morning!”  
  
“See? It's the witching hour, so meet me at our usual spot”  
  
"Liam, no matter what's written on your pajamas, you're not the Beacon Hills Batman, let alone I'm your Robin"

 

"Of course you're not Robin," Liam replied lightly. And Theo could swear he felt him roll his eyes throught the phone. "I am now more and more convinced that you are Mr. Freeze because of your ability not to freeze to death, just because you are too stubborn to accept hospitality"

 

"We will not talk about it again. And I'm not Mr. Freeze "

 

"Penguin?"

 

"Fuck you"

 

"Then, are you comin'?"

 

Theo sighed "Give me five minutes, I must first defrost my feet"

 

He heard Liam giggle before hanging up.

 

*

 

"The usual spot" for Liam was under his house. Because obviously Theo had to be his chauffeur as well. And Theo was still wondering why he'd ever agreed to team up with Liam, but he seemed to forget about it the exact moment when Liam sneaked silently out the front door, and then into the car, greeting him and holding him a huge plastic cup full of hot coffee. "Thank God" he sighed grabbing it. "I thought you were an atheist"

"Me too thought so many things, like you could tell the difference between reality and a cheap crime movie, but apparently it's not like that" Theo replied, rolling his eyes and starting the engine, with the hot cup still in his right hand . "You know we do not have to do night patrols, do you? It's not what Scott asked us "

Liam shrugged. "I just want to make sure everything is all right. I do not want anyone else to get hurt." Theo pursed his lips, he wanted to say something, but he held back. Liam looked at him "And anyway why do you keep coming with me if you think it's stupid?"

  
_To make sure that_ _ **you**_ _do not get hurt._ He thought, but he did not say it. He had not yet found a rational explanation for the almost physical need he felt to keep Liam safe, since the day they had fought together the Ghost Riders in the hospital. And Theo was not used to the unknowns, to the variations in the scheme. He was the selfish asshole, who was only thinking of his survival, right? Still, he had often put his life on hold with disregard for Liam. _Why?_ He still had no answer.

 

So he took another sip from the cup. "For free coffee," he replied with a grin, to which Liam gave him a playful push on his shoulder. "You know, if you stayed in our guest room, you'd have all the coffee you want. And you should not wait until your feet get defrosted before you can drive" he tempted.

"I would not have need to drive if some crazy beta did not want to play the detectives at 2 am" he commented, stopping the car at the edge of the preserve.

"As if you had something better to do"

"Actually I'd have it" "Like what?" "Like sleeping?" Theo slammed the door, raising eyebrows to Liam as they passed the wooden bar and walked into the wood

"You know what- I'll stop drag you out the bed - seat, sorry - if you'll move to me," Liam exclaimed spreading his arms, a few steps behind him

"Do you want me so much in your bed, Dunbar?" Theo turned to look at him, continuing to walk backwards, with his usual grin on his face, which only makes you want to kiss it away.

 

 _Ki-kiss it away?_ Okay, his brain was certainly going to be freezing even just for thinking such a thing. He blushed slightly, but counterattacked. He had learned that with Theo you can not afford to stand still. "And why did you think of my bed first? I might even want to close you in the basement "

"Kinky" Theo commented, stopping in front of him. Then he frowned and his little smile slipped away, taking a few steps toward Liam. He winced taking a half step back. _Does he want to-?_ Theo clasped his wrist and then Liam noticed his wide eyes peering at the trees "Do you hear it?"

 

Liam looked around, concentrating on the surrounding noises "Heartbeats. Three. Not far from here" Liam counted. "Do you think may be hunters?" He asked anxiously.

Theo moved his gaze among the trees around them. "It could be anyone. Better not to find out"And he used the grip on Liam's wrist to pull him away, back to the car.

 

"Wait, we can find out about their plans or Monroe's if they're hunters!" Liam protested as he was dragged.

"Not now, not like that," Theo answered dryly without stopping and without looking at him.

"What does it mean?!"

"We do not have a plan, we have no back up. Nobody knows we're here, our car is in plain sight, and they have all kinds of information about us. What if they had wolfbane? "

"It doesn't affect you," Liam reminded him.

"But it _does_ affect _you_!" Theo almost shouted, stopping suddenly and turning to look at him. "We just got out of a war, we risked dying, _you_ risked dying in that hospital on more than one occasion. I want you to stop looking for trouble" he added in an authoritative tone.

Liam looked at him, slightly surprised and confused. Probably Theo considered that he had gone too far by his standards and huffed, moving a hand through his hair and then turning around. "I'll take you home"

 

Liam stood still for a moment, before running after him. "Wait" he joined him, putting him in front of Theo, "So you were worried about me?" He asked with a smirk on his face, who made Theo rolled his eyes. "Is that why you did not want me to come here by myself?"

"What do you have to grin about? I worry about you, because you're an idiot who throws himself against dozens of Ghost Riders and dozens of hunters without any trace of self preservation. So someone else has to do it for you, even at the cost of having to lock you up in an elevator "

"Okay" Liam easily agreed "Okay?"

"I'll stop looking for trouble. So you will not have to worry "Liam agreed, thrusting his hands in his pockets with a calm and satisfied expression.

"Glad you do know also how to be smart , now let's go back to sleep" Theo exclaimed sourly in reply, trying to get over him, but Liam held him back by grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. "But I will if you stop worrying me. A fair trade, Reaken "

Theo looked at him wide-eyed and in disbelief. "And why should _I_ worry _you_?"

"Because you sleep in your car, with hunters on the loose" Liam told him slowly. "If I offered you a place to stay, it's because I want to know you're safe. Why else would I do this? So stop being a stubburn dick and move your chimera ass to my house "

"Wow, I was about to get emotional at first"

Liam snorted, smiling. "Then?"

"Mmh, I'll think about it"

"You think too much"

"And you too little"

"Well, it's good that we're a team then, is not it?" Liam chuckled, shoulder-to-shoulder with Theo as they resumed walking, reaching for the car.

"What do you mean?" Theo snorted, amused.

"Well, I'm the rash one, with no control, the one who does then thinks," he answered seriously, with a hint of laughter in the tone of his voice, "and you're the clear-headed one, all planes and control, the one who never loses his temper. I am the heart, and you are the head-"

 

 _Which is why we need each other._ Liam thought but did not say it aloud. But maybe it was implicit and Theo understood it. Because he was looking at him with a mixture of the same admiration he had seen on his face when he had told him about Mykonos and of something else that could actually be emotion, or affection, since the big smile he gave him. He had never seen Theo smile like that. He felt his heart lose a beat and hoped that Theo had not noticed, too busy to look away to try to hide -in vain- his smile.

 

Then Theo beat him on the shoulder and gave him one last look. "Come on, Sherlock Wolf, let's go home, _both of us_ " Liam smiled. This battle was also won. He had convinced Theo.

 

 

"If I am Sherlock, would you be Watson?" "Mmh, I think I'm more of Moriarty" "Fair enough"

 

TO BE CONTINUED

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go with another chapter! 
> 
> PS: In case you haven't noticed, every chapter title (at least mostly of them) will be an answer to the question in the story title ^_^


	4. Shoulders to lean on

"So you're telling me we can get drunk?" Liam repeated for the umpteenth time, writhing on the couch to watch Theo sitting next to him, while Mason and Corey were sat on the other.

Theo rolled his eyes. "You can get drunk, Liam, if you've got wolfbane in your system," he repeated slowly.

"I thought it was poisonous?" Mason asked suspiciously.

"It is, it inhibits healing abilities, so the body can no longer process the alcohol" Theo explained, settling himself against the sofa. "Corey and I do not need it. Our healing abilities are already halved compared to a true werewolf 's ones"

"So can I get drunk?" Liam asked again, probably for the twentieth time

Theo looked at him cross-eyed. "I'm afraid to see what a poisoned alcohol can do to your already seemingly limited brain," he sighed.

"Asshole" Liam grabbed the pillow next to him, pulling it on his face, causing an amused giggle in Theo and the other two.

"Liam does not have a limited brain," Mason said. _Well done Mason, defend my honour,_ Liam thought with a touch of pride "He can only process info by piece"

" _Mason_ " Okay, Liam had officially decided to look for a new best friend.

Mason laughed "Come on, that's why you spotted everything to Scott about _that thing_ "

Liam blushed, and Theo looked between the two, now stunned. "Does Mason know that too?" He hissed.

"Corey knows that too," Mason muttered, nodding. "And Scott, and Stiles. And Stiles told it to Lydia, who told it to Malia, who now wants to kill you, _again_ "

"Great," Theo exclaimed bewildered. "What part of ' _do not talk about it anymore_ ' in the deal you didn't understand?"

"Probably the ' _do not talk about it anymore_ ' part" Corey answered for him chuckling.

"It's not my fault, Scott had already practically put our back on the wall," Liam protested, even more red.

" _No instead_ " Theo widened his eyes. "It's just what your only left brain cell had assumed" Liam growled.

 

At the time his mother appeared in the doorway of the living room and looked at them, dwelling on Mason. "Why is Liam trying to stifle Theo with a pillow?"

Mason shook his head "Don't worry, it's just their repressed sexual tension"  
 

*

 

"We could have knocked" Liam informed him as they entered the veterinary clinic, after Theo had forced the door with a claw.

"Useless, really!, he's never here. I wonder how he makes a living if this place is always deserted" Theo said, as he rummaged rapidly through the vials and bottles on the shelf.

"You've got a point" Liam shrugged. "But if he comes in here, know that I will blame all on you"

"It's good to know that you're got my back" Theo rolled his eyes, finally grabbing the bottle containing the mountain ash. "Here it is!" He exclaimed, turning to Liam to show him.

"Well, let's go away now, please?"

Theo nodded, making his way to the exit and opening the door only to find Deaton in front of them. The three remained motionless for a good ten seconds, then Deaton sighed. "Do I want to know?

"Probably yes" Liam mumbled

"Will you tell me?"

"Probably not," Theo said.

Deaton rolled his eyes. "Go away" he snorted. The two obeyed, while the vet stood staring thoughtful at the door, contemplating once again the idea of a security door.

 

*  
  
"What is that?"

"Vodka"

"Why do you have vodka in the bag under your bed?"

"How do you think I would defrost my feet?"

"Just to know, do you also have drinking problems in addition to your obvious personality disorders?"

"I would not criticize someone else's personality while this one has a tin of poisonous powder that could be used against you"

"You know, these are the disorders I was talking about"

"Do you want to shut up Liam? I'm trying to poison a bottle so we can have fun "

"I do not believe I'm at the point where what you said makes perfect sense." Liam snorted before focusing on Theo pouring the fine purple powder into the bottle.

"What happens if you put too much?"

"What do you think?"

“May I die?"

"You will not die"

"Sure? 'Cause surviving the Deadpool, Dread Doctors and Ghost Riders to end up killed by a bottle of vodka is not exactly epic"

"You will not die," Theo repeated exasperated "Do you trust me?"

"Is this a trick question?" Liam narrowed his eyes on Theo

Theo looked at him amused "You know, maybe I _will_ kill you"

Liam snorted, before returning to look up from the bottle to Theo, concentrated now to close it and shake it in the air.

"I trust you" he then said seriously, causing Theo to stop with the bottle up

"Really?" He asked almost in a skeptical whisper.

"I thought it was obvious when I offered you a bed next to mine"

"I was not sure since you almost choked me with a pillow," Theo observed, frowning.

"Details" Liam dismissed the subject with a wave of his hand.

"Anyway, for what it's worth, I trust you too," Theo added hesitantly.

"Really?"

"I thought it was obvious when I accepted a bed next to yours," Theo imitated him, making Liam chuckle. "Okay, so now that we have alcohol, where are we going?"

"Mason and Corey are waiting for us at the Sinema"

Theo frowned in confusion "We get drunk at the cinema?"

"No _idiot_ ," Liam exclaimed in amusement, opening the door of Theo's new room and waving him out first "It's just the name of a club"

  
*

 

"Thank you for paying for me too," Theo said, struggling to hide the discomfort in his voice as he screamed for Liam to hear over the sound of the music as he moved through the crowd.

"Nothing" Liam replied "Do not worry"

"I'll give money back as soon as I get a job," the chimera said quickly.

"Do not worry, Theo" Liam repeated, "Now have just a good time"

Theo nodded with a faint smile, looking first at Liam then at the other two. "Stay here, I'll go get some drinks. You can mix the wolfbane alcohol with it"

The three nodded and Liam followed him with his eyes as he struggled toward the bar.

Mason's arm around his shoulders distracted him. "So dude, it's time to get back in the game!" Mason exclaimed, pointing with a sweep of his hand to the crowd in front of them.

"I do not want to 'get back in the game' as you say, Mase," Liam snorted.

"Why not? By now I am mathematically sure that you have got over Hayden and I do not think there is anyone else you're interested in in sight" Mason gave him an allusive look, to which Liam snorted.

"Stop it, Mason, I already told you it's not how you think. Remember the deal? "

"Do you mean the secret act now in the public domain?" Liam looked at him cross-eyed. "However, this means that you are absolutely free. And you need to do normal things, so ... find a boy or a girl! Possibly without fangs"

“I don't--”

"You see? Learn from Theo, he has been here for five minutes and has already found a suitor"

Liam realized that perhaps he had turned to the point indicated by Mason's index too quickly to be considered normal, given the way in which his neck broke and Corey chuckled. But now it did not matter. Because that _fucking_ Theo, instead of bringing them the drinks he promised, stood at the bar with his arms crossed on the counter, talking to a barman - an unprofessional barman, Liam would add because he was ignoring all the other customers for Theo - and smiled at him. Theo spoke to him and _smiled_ at him. At nobody Theo smiled like that, apart ... well apart Liam. Liam looked away, pulling out the bottle from the inside pocket of his jacket, and taking a big sip. _To hell with the drinks!_

Mason and Corey watched him frowning. "Are you okay, Liam?" Corey asked.

"Yes, never better, let's go" "Where?"

"To get back in the game, where else!?"

 

*

 

He was trying. Seriously. He was trying. But despite all the alcohol in his system, he could not find pleasant the sensation of that dude's hands behind him on his hips. He did not understand why, but he felt it _wrong_. Mason and Corey went off the grid, wanting to leave him field open, and he did not know how to get rid of this guy. He turned his gaze to the bar, and saw that Theo was no longer there. _Where the hell did he go?_

 

*

 

Two of his best smiles at the barman were enough to get those drinks for free. He could not certainly say he did not have money to pay for them. And if he had earned compliments so much the better, not that he was interested. With the drinks hovering in his hands, he looked around for the others and found Mason and Corey aboard the dancefloor, a little further. He approached them, holding out the glasses. "Where is Liam?" He asked.  
Mason shrugged, pointing to the crowd "Somewhere in the middle. I'll drink his, I do not think he'll need it. He drank almost all your poisoned vodka" he added, taking the other glass too out of his hands  
"Are you kidding?" Theo exclaimed, looking up to find Liam in the crowd.  
"I assure you he was fine" Corey chuckled "He will be dancing with someone"  
"I'm going to look for him," Theo just said, before turning around, starting to walk on the edge of the dancefloor, leaving Corey and Mason to exchange knowing glances.

 

It was almost on the other side, when he spotted Liam dancing clumsly in the middle of the dancefloor. He took a sip from his drink, keeping an eye on him and with an amused smile on his face for his moves. When he saw that Liam was not dancing alone. Or rather, there was a guy behind him trying to pull him close, placing his hands on his hips, and Theo felt the unyielding desire to pull his glass over his head. Who knows why. Liam was not in danger, that was just a drunken asshole trying to hit on him, why then did his body react as if he sensed a threat?

He forced himself to drink from his glass, shifting his gaze back to the room again in search of Mason and Corey, when he saw on the corner of his eye Liam noticing him and heading towards him, with discomfort and frustration that rolled out of his face. Theo raised his eyebrows, seeing him look back carefully liek to check the situation.

"You look like you saw a ghost," the chimera noted, ignoring the feeling of tranquility he now felt in seeing Liam off the dancefloor.

"Even worse, there's a guy who does not stop sticking to me" he moaned

Theo looked over Liam with his lips tight, where he knew that guy was still.

Then he forced a grin on his face. "What's wrong with you? Is not he pretty enough for you, Dunbar?" He teased. "I'm sorry to have raised your standards"

Liam rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Theo, and help me get rid of him rather. Scott told you to watch my back "

"I didn't think that the unwanted advances of drunken and sweaty strangers were part of the package"

"Just help me ... and I'll tidy up your room for a week," he ventured

“ _Two_. And I know you just want to get your hands on my stuff, you perv"  
“ _Theo_ ”

“Okay” Theo sighed at last "Do you want me to kill him?"  
"I do not want you to kill him, Theo"  
"To torture him? I can break him some bone for future reference- "  
"You will not break his bones, Theo"  
"So what do you want me to do?" Theo snapped exasperated. Nothing was good for Liam!  
"Dance with me" Theo's eyes widened, as if the idea of dancing was an unknown concept that had not even crossed his mind.

Liam took the now almost empty glass from his hands and threw it on the ground. Then he took his hands in his and dragged him to the dancefloor.  
"Why would this dissuade him?" Theo asked, trying to ignore Liam's hands on his shoulders, his face a few centimeters from his.  
"Because if he see me dancing with _you_ , he will understand that he doesn't have a chance"  
"Did you just imply that I'm fucking hot?"  
Liam laughed, resting his forehead on Theo's left shoulder, getting closer. Theo could not prevent his hands from settling on the sides of the beta  
"You're such a cocky," Liam grumbled against his shoulder.

"And you're drunk"

"Tomorrow I'll be sober, you'll always be an asshole"  
Theo chuckled, his breath tickling Liam's neck. And maybe he was really drunk not to notice how pleasant instead it was the feeling of _Theo_ 's hands on him, how that felt _right_.

Needless to say that, with great satisfaction from Theo, no one came any closer to Liam that night.

 

TO BE CONTINUED


	5. Anchor

Handling a drunk Liam was not difficult. When he eventually fell asleep on Theo's shoulder as they danced, Theo realized that the night was over. He had called out Corey and Mason and together they had pushed Liam into Theo's pickup. Then they said goodbye, as Mason had his car. But first Mason apparently couldn't resisted taking a picture of Liam, his face squashed against the window, and his mouth slightly open, while he slept blissfully. "I thought I would never have seen this day," he whispered dramatically to Theo, who chuckled, before turning and following Corey. Theo had settled on the seat next to Liam and had looked at him for a few seconds, before pulling out his phone and taking as well a selfie of them, Liam passed out in the background, already planning to frame it and give it to Liam for Christmas.

 

The real problem was actually handling Liam the morning next. Theo had never seen anyone in hangover, but he now could say that the wolfbane alcohol did more harm than normal one - this or Liam was just an hopeless idiot.

 

"When I die, make sure that Mason never puts his hands on my GTA Vice City," he mumbled weakly from his bed.

Theo looked at him, turning from his seat to the desk, in front of the laptop. "Why should this be your wish on the deathbed?"

"Because when we were ten, he wanted it at all costs, and tried to steal to me, and I had to swear to him that it would be his when I died"

"So?"

"He will never have it, it's a matter of principle"

"Liam, you're being ridiculous. I think the wolfbane has seriously killed your only neuron left"

"The last words to your dying friend should be words of affection, _Theo_ "

"You're not going to die, _Liam_." Theo stood up, the chair creaking and he went over to the bed, exasperated.

"Should I make a will?"

"But if you do not have anything to leave!" Theo pulled out the pillow from under his head, to which Liam groaned, then tried to reappropriate it.

“ _Theo!_ ” As answer, Theo grinned sitting on the bed next to Liam putting the pillow out of his reach.

"You have to get up, drink water and eat real food, so you will process all the wolfbane out of your system"

“ _Ugh”_ Liam protested, still trying to grab the pillow from Theo's hands in order to return to die in peace.

In vain. Theo chuckled at the attempt, now holding the pillow behind his back.

"Asshole," Liam grumbled.  
"Sorry if I try to take care of your pathetic person"  
"Mistreating me?"  
"Mmh if I wanted to mistreat you ..." Theo said thoughtful, freeing his hands from the grip on the pillow and carrying them forward "I would do this" And he propped Liam's ribs with his index , making him wince. Theo laughed at the reaction. "Don't you dare, _bastard_ "

"Stop being a drama queen, get up, and I'll stop" Theo said, tickling him again. And then again. At that point Liam was just trying to hold Theo's hands away from his ribs, half gasping half laughing. As long as the anger took over. " _Theo_!" He growled, his eyes glowing golden, gripping Theo's wrists hard, pushing him back, and nailing them against the mattress.  
Theo chuckled, looking at him from below "I see you're feelin' better"

  
Liam was surprised, looking at Theo below him, that the anger from only a few seconds before had already subsided. But actually he had already noticed in the previous months that, despite his wolf was easily susceptible and despite Theo was particularly good at getting him angry, hardly he seriously lost control with him. Far from it, perhaps it had never happened. And it was strange considering their love-hate relationship.  
"You're an asshole," Liam just said, still motionless in the same position on top of him "And a bad doctor. You should review your definition of 'try to take care of your person' because I think you have skipped a few steps"  
"And you're a terrible dying man, since apparently you do not even know how to die-"  
"Theo, shut up" When had his body slid down? Or was Theo leaning toward him?  
"Make me"

 

Liam raised his eyebrows, as if he did not really believe Theo had just said it. But at that point it seemed that his body had its own will, as he leaned forward, his face a few centimeters from Theo's. _Oh god is going to happen again?_ a voice shrieked in his head that sounded awfully like Mason's. Only a few centimeters ....

 

" _Liam_!"

His mother's scream from the bottom of the stairs was like a cannon shot to their supernatural ears, making them jump. Liam snapped back at the same time Theo sat up, and it ended with Theo's forehead beating _painfully_ against Liam's nose.

" _Argh_ " "Sorry"

Liam put his hands to his own face "I said that you're a bad doctor"

"Now at least you have a reason to whine"

"I don-"

" _Liam_!" His mother screamed again.

" _Ugh_ " Liam jumped up and went to the door. "What's up, mom?!"

"There's a friend of your at the door"

Liam frowned, turning to Theo, who shrugged. Mason and Corey did not have to come today. Liam went downstairs, followed by Theo, few steps behind

 

At the center of the entrance was Nolan. "Hey Liam, Theo"

"Nolan, what are you doing here?" Liam asked in astonishment.

"Um I ... here, there's something I wanted to talk to you about"

 

*  
  
“Co-capitains? Do you want be _co-capitains_ now?” the coach exclaimed, looking at Nolan and Liam in uniform in front of him.

“We've... gone past our differences” Nolan said, with a slight smile on his face

“That doesn't sound very competitive! Who taught you _that_ crap?!”

“You did” Liam exclamed quickly, “Because you're a great coach” clapping a hand on his shoulder, before leaving the locker room while Nolan followed him smiling.

“You're right, I am a _great_ coach” they heard the coach say, as they walked down the corridor and into the field. They exchanged an amused look. "So, co-captain, ready to rock and roll?" Liam said " _So_ ready"

 

 

"Uhh, come on guys!" They turned to the stands where Mason sat, with Corey in uniform next to him. He gave a quick kiss to Mason before reaching the other two in the field and high-five with Liam.  
  
A whistle in their ears made them jump, and they turned to face the coach. "So, just because this is a training game, you're not allowed to suck. And no, the excuse 'there were crazy man with miters all around Beacon Hills' actually stopped being valid now, so let's get out there and _slaughter_ them "The new assistant coach cackled next to him" I mean- _humiliate_ them!"

 

“Coach has really a way with words” made a voice from under Mason's feet. He jumped, before lowering himself to look under the stands. "Theo, what the hell are you doing down there?"

"I saw you and I came to have a look," he chuckled, coming out and jumping on the steps to reach Mason.

"Why were you at school?"

"I decided to segning up again"

Mason's eyes widened. "Seriously? Will you be senior with us then? "

"Yep. Luckily Lydia spoke to her mum about me, so she made me sign up again without asking too many questions. ""Good-"" But if someone else asks you, I've had tuberculosis" “ _Ew_ ”

Theo chuckled, before concentrating on the field, where a whistle started the game. His gaze immediately found Liam, the number 9 in sight on his back, as he ran across the field. It was the first time he saw him play, he thought, as the beta took the ball and ran jumping two opponents.  
"You should join the team too, you do definitely have the body," commented Mason, giving him a quick glance.  
"Naah, I'd rather watch. It's a lot more entertaining, "Theo replied with a chuckle as one of the opposing players slapped Liam and knocked him down.  
"Mmmh" Mason moaned suddenly worried.  
"What?" Theo asked, raising his eyebrows.  
"Do you remember Liam's anger issues? Here, let's say that lacrosse does not help them a lot. And Devenford Prep are his old teammates, also" Theo shifted his attention back to Liam as the ref whistled a foul and Liam shot up again.

 

 

The player who had knock him down gave him a sneer. "What's up, _Dumbar_? You do not know how to take a shot? "Liam refrained from snarling, but he could not help death glaring at him. "Or can not you play without some supernatural help?"  
"Shut up, Josh" Liam growled, his eyes glowing yellow. The ref whistled the start again and Josh overcame him with a shove.  
A moment later Liam ran back to the field, the ball safely in the net of the lacrosse stick. He was almost at the door when Josh again hit him violently, knocking him back in the air, his back beating painfully to the ground. Liam moaned, turning and kneeling to catch his breath. Josh chuckled a few feet away from him, making snap Liam's head in his direction. "Stop it," Liam growled again.  
"Or what? You destroy my car with your claws?" Liam growled again, his eyes yellow, his claws trying to pierce his gloves to get out. Liam tried to breathe to keep control. "The sun, the moon, the truth" grumbled between his teeth.

 

"I think something is wrong," Mason said, worried.  
"I see it," Theo muttered. Then he looked around quickly, there was no one sitting next to them fortunately. He cupped his hand on his mouth " _Liam_ ," he whispered.

 

 

Liam took off his helmet in a hurry to try to breathe better, while the ref whistled again and reproached Josh. Liam took another deep breath "The sun, the moon-" _No it does not work._ Why did not it work-?  
" _Liam_ " Liam jumped at the voice, which came loud and clear to his werewolf ears. And immediately he raised his head to look for the owner in the crowd. _Was Theo there?_  
"Breathe Liam, will not you let that asshole get the better of you? You can beat him at his own game as well "  
Liam moved his head to the right and to the left and finally found Theo in the stands. He was also looking in his direction, with his usual grin on his face. Liam released another weak growl, this time more annoyed than angry, while with another deep breath his eyes came back blue. He sighed, slowly returning to his feet.

"Are you okay?" The ref asked as he approached. Liam turned to look at him, with a half smile " _I'm fine_ "  
  
And when he resumed the game, he made sure to tackle Josh with all the human strength he had in his body, making him fall hard on his ass, writhing in pain. "I hope you never find out how harsh it is to be hit by an angry werewolf," he said, looking at him from above with an amused grin. "So I suggest you don't mess with me"

 

  
"Incredible," Mason commented, looking at Theo with his eyes wide open, and then Liam, who had got back on his feet, perfectly calm, then again Theo. "He calmed down, and nobody had to roar, knock him out, tie him to a tree, electrify him or throw him under a frozen shower!"

Theo looked at him, frowning. "Were they just hypotheses or did you speak from experience?"

"Experience, _terrible_ experience"

 

Theo was confused. Liam was often angry, especially with him, but he had never seemed so out of his mind to be unstoppable. He knew about his IED, but he had never been a spectator. The only time was probably at the zoo, but even there was enough a simple punch to black him out. In the locker room, with Gabe, instead, it was enough to talk to him. And a few days earlier, in his bedroom, he had seemed about to get angry but then he had calmed down on his own.

"What are you thinking?" Mason asked him, while the ref whistled the end of the match, stating the victory for the Beacon Hills team.

Theo shrugged "I thought about the head and the heart," he said, earning Mason's confused look.

 

*  
  
Liam took his time in the shower, letting the water slip on him, while the changing room was emptied.  
He had almost lost control in the field. It could have been very bad, if there had not been Theo there, he could have hurt someone. Thinking about it, it seemed to have become a constant that Theo was there to stop him from doing it. He thought of the zoo, how he was about to kill Nolan. That day in the locker room with Gabe. That day. Theo had not knock him out, had not stopped him by force, had not glowed his eyes or anything else like that. He had only talked. He had not even said reassuring words, babbling about corpses, plastic bags and chainsaws, and yet he had calmed him. And a few days earlier, he clearly remembered the moment when his eyes had settled on Theo, who giggled happily and quietly under him, and had felt the anger vanish.  
_That asshole is my fucking anchor!_ Liam found himself thinking, gasping in the shower. How the hell had happened? How had he managed to turn from the manipulative asshole who had betrayed all of them to the unwanted ally who had saved his ass to being an important friend who was also his anchor?  
  
Damn, Mason would have gone out of his mind, _Scott_ would have gone out of his mind. He would have gone out his own mind too, had it not been for the one and only thought that there was Theo out there, in the car, waiting for him, to go home, together. And at that moment to Liam that seemed enough .

 

TO BE CONTINUED


	6. Dream-catcher

He had not even noticed that he had fallen asleep. With his head buried in the economics book, in an attempt to recover the lost months, Theo had ended up falling asleep over it, lying on what for two weeks now he could call his bed.

 

“ _Theeoo”_

Theo opened his eyes suddenly, panting and trying to remember where he was, why he was in the dark and why it was so terribly cold.  
_He was at Liam's house. Liam had took him in. He had wanted him there._ Theo raised his hand, clashing against a cold metal surface.

“ _Theeoo”_ Theo shuddered, his heart being fast. _Tara was there. She was in the house. She would have taken her heart back. Would she hurt Liam?_

  
With those thoughts that crowded his mind, Theo rolled out of the mortuary cell, shooting on his feet in alert. He turned to right, then to left, facing Tara. Or what was left of her. " _Theeo_ "  
Theo took a half-step back, his eyes watering, his lower lip trembling. "Do not ... you do not have to stop," he mumbled through his tears.  
  
And he gasped as Tara ripped his heart out from his chest. His body falling to the ground, Tara looking at him from above with his icy stare. " _Theeo_ "  
"Do not ..." Theo gasped dying "... don't ... hurt _him_ ..."  
  
And he woke up screaming.

 

With his hand clasped to his chest, he sat up trying to regain control. The ticking of his fingers on his chest that passed the slow rhythm of the heart, while breathing heavily. After several minutes, he looked up and looked around. _He was back in his room, he was safe, where was Liam?_

  
  
Theo rose hastily from the bed, and slowly opened the door. Fortunately, he had not awakened the Geyers, or they would have had several explanations to give. He went out into the hall and stopped outside the door of Liam's room, undecided whether to knock, or even go in.

" _Theeo_ " His sister's hissing and icy voice still echoed in his ears. And he pushed him to turn the door handle, which creaked open, onto a quietly empty room. And onto an empty bed. Liam was not there. _Why was he not there?_ Theo's heart lost a beat, while drops of cold sweat still slid across his forehead.  
  
Then he remembered. Liam had told him that morning at school that he would not come home. In the evening they had to play away and would sleep in a motel to get home the next morning. _Idiot_ , he said to himself, before taking a deep breath to calm himself. The sweet and familiar Liam's smell impregnating the whole room immediately had the immediate effect of relaxing him. _It was not a nightmare. It was all real. He was not down there anymore._

 

He turned to go back to his room and go back to sleep. But then he stopped. He glanced at Liam's bed significantly. _What was wrong?_ It was only for one night after all. _Who would have known about it?_ At least he could fall asleep with the hope that he would not fall again into Tara's clutches. He looked around the hall, before closing the door behind him.

 

*

 

 

He felt something tickling his ear. Theo grumbled in his sleep, raising his hand absently to push away whatever it was. It did not work. He turned his head against the pillow, almost as if he wanted to suffocate in it, but that _thing_ was there again, on his ear. Theo stifled a growl.

 

"Liam, what the hell are you doing?" He exclaimed, when he finally opened his eyes - just to see Liam's face over his, his body lying next to his, his finger still halfway between his face and the Theo's poor ear.

"I could ask you exactly the same thing, this is my bed, in case you haven't noticed it" he snorted, frowning at Theo's tone, as if he was the one who had been caught in inappropriate attitudes with another person's bed .

Theo rubbed his eyes, moving his head to see the time on the digital alarm clock by the bed. "When did you come back home?" He asked, turning to look at Liam.

"Half an hour ago," he replied with a shrug

"Have you been for half an hour watching me sleep lying next to me?" Theo teased him, widening his eyes.

"Do not turn this around, Reaken, you're the one who was litteraly trying to melt as one with my bed. Why the hell are not you in yours then? "

"Uh ... yours is more comfy," Theo tried.

Liam did not seem impressed by the lie. "Seriously? Is this the best answer that came to your mind? "

"Okay" Theo snorted, rolling his eyes "It was actually an accident"

"How do you sleep on someone else's bed _accidentally_?"

 

Theo looked at Liam carefully as to decide what to say and what not. "If you really want to know, I had a nightmare, and I woke up. I could not sleep and I came to your room. Then I remembered you were at the stupid match. End of the story"

"This does not explain why you're hugging my pillow"

"I'm _not_ hugging your pillow," Theo said, letting go the pillow because he was actually hugging it.

"Okaay," Liam said, rolling on the bed so as to lie supine like Theo, shoulder to shoulder. "At least will you tell me about your nightmare?"

Theo shrugged "It's no a big deal"

"I would not say, since it pushed you into my bed"

"Do not act like you mind" Theo taunted with a grin, trying to divert at all costs the conversation from 'nightmares' topic.

But Liam did not seem to bite. "You know, when I became a werewolf I had nightmares too. I guess we all have had them at least once. Stiles explained to me that they're only a product of our sub-conscious. They are the fruit of our fears, or our guilts. It's like fighting a war against ourself "

Theo sighed. "Mine is not a war against myself," he finally said. Liam looked at him expectantly, hoping he had convinced him to talk about it. Theo met his gaze and then quickly turned away, tightening his lips "They're not just nightmares. They are memories. Of the months I've spent in hell "

Liam winced beside him. "What ... what do you mean?"

"I relive what I lived there, like in an eternal loop. I see my sister, as she was when she died, chasing me and ripping my - _her_ \- heart out from my chest. Again and again. Until I stop running and let her do it. "

Liam gasped beside him. "I'm sorry," he just said after a few seconds.

"Why are you apologizing for something you're not to blame?" Theo bitterly chuckled.

" _I'm sorry_... for that time I told you that whatever you had lived down there, you deserved it. Because nobody deserves such a thing "

"I _do_ "

"You're wrong" Liam squeezed his wrist hard, making Theo to look at him. "And yours too is just a war against yourself. You think you deserve it, you feel remorse and you do not know how to make amends, that's why your sub-conscious torments you. But it's not real, it's all in your head. "

"How can you be sure?"

"Because if it were real, there would be no escape"

"Who tells you that there is?"

Liam shrugged "Well you've been here for two weeks now, and I've never heard you have nightmares"

 

Theo almost winced at the statement. _Because it was true._ In the last days he had no nightmares, or at least not particularly bad ones. He had associated the thing to finally sleeping in a real bed, safe and warm. But maybe...

"Think about it, is not there something that seems to help you sleep?" Liam asked slightly, while Theo turned to look at him with wide eyes. "Like classical music, or green tea or-"

"You"

" _Me_ what?"

"I think you're my anchor," Theo said quietly as he would have said, 'I think it'll rain tomorrow.'

Liam turned to look at him from his seat beside him with wide eyes. "I'm _what_?"

"My anchor"

"Am I your anchor?!" he exclaimed, taking a seat, his voice almost tinged with panic

"Yup"

"What does it mean?"

" _What do you mean, what do I mean?_ "

"What do I have to do?"

"You do not have to do anything"

"Well I got to have to do something, what anchors do?"

" _Anchoring_?"

"It's not funny"

"It was not my intention to be"

"How the hell can I be your anchor? I can not even ground myself, how could I ground someone else? "

"Liam, I did not choose it, it's what it is," Theo said, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

 

Liam sank back with his head on the pillow as Theo followed his moves carefully. "So ... _I_ send away your nightmares?" He asked slowly. Theo nodded almost imperceptibly. "You too," Liam said without context.

"Me too what?"

"You. You're my anchor too "

"I know"

"How ' _I know_ '?"

"I figured it out that day at the lacrosse game"

"And why the hell did not you say anything ?!"

"What was I supposed to say? 'Good morning Liam, here's coffee, I know I almost killed you once, but now I'm your fucking anchor, do you want pancakes?' "

"It would have been a good start," Liam said, "especially the pancakes part"

Theo rolled his eyes. Liam looked away from Theo again to stare at the ceiling above them. "How the hell did it happen?" He wondered aloud.

"You know, I think your one and only neuron has finally produced a sensible reasoning the other night," Theo reflected.

Liam nudged him on the side, before looking at him again. "I produce _many_ sensible reasonings! Which one of the _many_ are you talking about, let's hear it? "

Theo smiled amused. "I'm talkin about when you said that you and I are like head and heart. You tend to follow your instincts, your emotions - like anger - while I tend to be the opposite. For this reason, maybe... you see in me a support, a fixed point, a- "

" _An anchor_ " Liam completed holding his breath.

"Yeah," Theo sighed. "On the contrary, I am rational and calculating, to the point that apparently I end up being prisoner of my own mind -of my nightmares-. You ... seem capable of pulling me out "

"Why me?"

"You pull me out from hell"

Liam looked at him quickly before returning to the ceiling, embarrassed "Is it ... just for that? Because I'm the one who freed you?"

"You're here now. You freed me, it's true, but you're also the one who wanted me to stay. The one who woke me at two in the morning to do patrols in the woods, the one who practically blackmailed me to move here. You remembered me that there is a _real_ world outside the plans and demons in my mind. This is your way of being my anchor" Theo cleared his throat "It's an uncommon thing, the anchor usually helps to keep control "

"So I'm more like your dream catcher?" Liam asked, looking at him with a sneer

"You know, I'm still wondering who gave you the right to speak" Theo gave him an unimpressed look.

Liam laughed, turning to look at him this time without looking away. "I like it, you know"

Theo's heart skipped a beat, blindsided, " _What_?" He whispered.

"That you're my anchor, and not a stupid mantra"

Theo gave him a smile, one of those that come out when you try to hold it back, failing. "I like it too," he said then. He breathed deeply the flap of his pajama sleeve soaked in Liam's smell. "Smell of coffee," he mumbled then cheerfully.

'' _Free coffee_ ," Liam pointed out, chuckling. "Come on, it's breakfast time. I felt like eating pancakes 'cause of you "  
  
*

 

"What the hell are you doing?" Theo exclaimed, his hand still on the handle of his room, holding the door open, while Liam was lying on _his_ bed, his feet crossed and his arms under his nape.

"My job"

"You have no job to do, especially _not_ in my room"

"You did not seem so categorical about the distinction of our rooms while you slept blissfully in my bed"

"Will you hold it against me for a lifetime?"

"Obviously"

"So, what? Are you going to sleep here from now on? "

" _No_! I'm just leaving my smell in here, "Liam explained as if it were the most normal thing in the world and Theo was stupid not to have understood it.

"Please tell me you will not start peeing around the room," Theo pleaded.

"Would it work?"

"Yeah, if you want to be fired as anchor"

"You _can't_ fire me," Liam said, sitting up indignantly

"Then look for another way to be useful" Theo said crossing his arms and approaching Liam on the bed.

Liam looked around thoughtfully and then bent down to pick up something that had slipped off the bed. He stood up, showing Theo his economy book. "I will stay here to help you with economics," he proposed.

Theo raised an eyebrow "Mmh you could"

"And could you help me with biology?" Liam asked hopefully.

"Mmh depends," Theo said, pretending to be thoughtful, as he lay down on his stomach on the bed, with the book open in front. "How many coffee is my help worth?"

"Help me get a C, and I'll give you a _whole_ coffee shop!" Liam exclaimed, imitating his position on the bed cheerfully.

"Wow your ambition astonished me!"

"Well better than D I have in my economics class"

"So what is it? The blind one leading the blind one? "Theo asked, looking at him amused.

"Exactly"

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED


	7. Unknown scheme

At some time between Theo ranting against economy and Liam's ranting about the uselessness of biology -which had moreover given rise Theo's indignation - they had fallen asleep. Theo on the right side, the right hand under his head and the left one under his stomach, and Liam next, with the left hand under the pillow and the right along the side.

 

When Theo woke up in the first light of dawn, incredibly rested after a night absolutely discharged of bad dreams - probably thanks to his so-called 'dream-catcher' - he discovered that he was no longer in the position in which he remembered to have fallen asleep. He was now on his back, his left hand resting on his chest and his right stretch out, apparently asleep, seeing the tingling he felt. And speaking of tingling, something tickled his chin pleasantly, and it was that strange feeling that made him slowly open his eyes.

 

He realized that the tingling in his arm was caused by the enormous weight that weighed on it, weight that was just Liam's body. Liam who had curled up against him, a quiet expression on his face, wedged between his left shoulder and the hollow of his neck, the soft hair that caressed his chin.

 

Theo stiffened for a moment at Liam's feeling against him, then tried to free his poor, battered arm. Liam was not happy of that. He grumbled something incomprehensible, still evidently asleep, and came closer to Theo if possible, placing his left arm around his waist and slipping a leg between his.

 

Theo released a trembling breath, tilting his head slightly to be able to look at Liam. He wanted at that moment to just bother him as he had done the morning before, tease him and make fun of him for the position in which he had caught, but he could not do any of these things. He only managed to stand still and watch him sleep, trying to ignore the warmth that he felt moving in his chest at the sight, and the immense sense of peace and familiarity he felt.

 

"Mmh," Liam grumbled when Theo tried to move in a more comfortable position, and tilted his head slightly and a tuft of hair fell in front of his eyes. Theo smirked at the sight, but his body had other plans evidently. His right hand rose cautiously and with a light caress brought Liam's rebellious hair back to their place.

Liam took a deep breath, his breath lightly caressing the sensitive skin of Theo's neck, giving him a shiver through all his body, and forcing him to suppress that uncontrollable desire to put his lips on now half-open Liam's ones

 

 _What the hell was happening to him ?!_ He thought, retracting his hand as quickly as if it had burnt, turning his head upwards to avoid looking at Liam, concentrating rather on the ceiling. Then he turned to the nightstand where the alarm showed at that moment 7.00 with a sharp beep. It was almost time for breakfast, soon they would have to go out to school, soon Liam would wake up and realize that they were stuck like two mussels, and Liam's mother would soon come up to call them and ... _fuck._

 

The door to the room opened with a slam, and Liam's mother appeared upset in the doorway. "Theo, where the _hell_ is Liam?" She cried in panic. The moment she finished talking, her face changed in a surprised expression, and Liam opened his eyes suddenly. Within three seconds, he widened his eyes, looked at Theo, looked at his mother, shrieked, his face turned on a purplish color, and he pushed Theo out of bed with an overly powerful kick into his ribs.

 

“ _Liam_!” his mother scolded him. "That's how you treat a guest !?"  
Theo glanced at him from the floor. "Yes, Liam, where's your head?"  
Mrs. Geyer rolled her eyes and turned to leave. "It's breakfast time anyway- _Bah teenagers_ "

 

 

"Sorry, it was just instinct," Liam groaned, completely bordeaux, sitting on the bed, the blankets tangled around his body and his hair shot in all directions.  
"No one can certainly say that you do not have good reflexes," Theo wailed, sitting down, his aching back, and then looking up at Liam. But there was something about seeing Liam, there, in _his_ bed, his face still slightly flushed and the embarrassment that came out of all his face, their smells now mixed, that made him want to look away and at the same time that attracted him like a magnet, while something stirred dangerously in his stomach.  
"I ..." Liam began.  
Theo forced himself to look away at the end "I need a cold shower" he communicated, before jumping out of the room, without looking back.

 

 

 

*  
  
As the water poured over him, Theo leaned his forehead against the icy tiles of the shower, his mind elsewhere. _What was wrong with him?_ It had never happened to him since he remembered not being able to control his impulses. He was the one who always had everything under control, the one that measured every gesture and every word, the one who could perfectly control his heartbeats, control his chemo-signals, the one who acted according to precise logical and rational schemes. Nothing for Theo was ever reckless, nothing was ever sudden.

 

Or at least it had been until his path had crossed Liam's. For Liam, he had locked himself off an elevator, throwing against at certain death, while his brain was screaming that it was not the most logical move to do. For Liam, he had thrown himself against a Ghost Rider to give time to the other guy to steal his horse and join the hunt. I mean, what intelligent person would do such a thing? For Liam, he had made a U-turn to get him to the hospital and help him against the hunters, while his reason was screaming that the best thing for him was to send Beacon Hills to hell. For Liam he had stayed, in a place where many people still hated him, where many would have preferred to see him dead, or worse.

 

Theo did not understand why. He was still new in this human relationships thing, and perhaps he simply did not have enough information to come up with a new scheme. Liam was an unknown for him. A weakness in his system. Perhaps this was the reason why his control wavered?

 

Theo sighed, closing the water and coming out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist and put another one on his hair to dry them. Then he remained staring at himself in the mirror for a few seconds. Probably it was like that, he just had to learn to get used to the idea of having Liam around, to have _anyone_ around, to have feelings. And at that point it would become easy to control himself. He would find a new scheme, where Liam would no longer be an unknown, but a fixed point.

 

He just had to give Liam a role. He was his anchor, he understood it, and they were friends? Probably yes, Liam himself had said so. _Friends as before_ , had been his words. So he had to behave like a friend would. Pure and simple. No strange impulses.

If the teenager who had awakened in him felt the need to kiss someone, he would have to find someone else who was not his _friend_ , right? And the problem would have been solved. They had promised not to talk about what had happened that night a month ago. And, if Liam apparently could not, then Theo would have done that for both of them.

 

Theo exchanged a firm nod with his reflection and grabbed the shirt he had previously prepared, quickly slipping it on, then moving on to his jeans. When he was dressed, he went out into the hall and returned to his room, now empty. Theo could hear Liam taking a shower in the bathroom of his room. He picked up his books and notes and put them in his shoulder bag, so then he could come down to breakfast. He looked around, noticing the absence of his biology notes. He rolled his eyes, _that idiot must have mistakenly picked them up_. This, or he had stolen them, and in this case there'd be hell to pay , Theo thought, as he crossed the hallway entering without much preamble in Liam's room. He could still hear the water in the shower flowing quickly past the bathroom door.  
  
Theo made his way to the desk, where books and papers were stacked in disorderly next to Liam's cell phone. Theo snorted amused and exasperated at the same time in front of Liam's mess, and began to rummage in search of his precious notes.  
At that moment the desk shook slightly to the vibration of the phone, which emitted two, three beeps, signaling incoming messages. Theo instinctively looked at the screen, with the sheets still in his hand, wondering who wrote to Liam at only 7:30 in the morning, when he read the sender's name.

 

It happened again. Something unexpected, something he had never felt before, something he did not know how to frame in his damn scheme. When he read _Hayden_ on the screen, the notification signaling three new messages, Theo felt as if the air had vanished from the room, making his head spinning, and causing a sense of dizziness, not helped by the extremely painful way in which his stomach contracted at the same moment. His heart picked up nervously, without he even noticing, as he stared at the phone, back to the black screen.

 

_Hayden? Why did Hayden still write to Liam? Did not she leave? Did not they break up?_

 

“Theo”

 

He must have look ridiculous, standing there, still in front of the desk, the sheets in hand, and an enchanted look on a cell phone. Fortunately he gave his back to Liam, who had just went out the bathroom evidently, so that he could not see his face. When he called his name, he jumped surprised and turned to him suddenly.

 

Just to find himself in front of a very wet Liam, with only a towel around his waist. His stupid heart picked up even more to that sight, not that he realized it. He was too busy following the thoughts in his head, trying to insert Hayden too into his scheme now.

 

"Are you okay?" Liam asked, eyes slightly open and a confused expression in his face.

 

"Why should not I be okay?" Theo forced his voice into his usual mocking tone. "I was just looking for the notes you stole from me"

 

Liam continued to stare at him for a few seconds, more confused. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Theo asked exasperated.

 

"Your heart. I heard him speed up from under the shower" Liam said slowly. "I can still hear it. I had never felt you so upset, I thought something bad had happened "

 

Theo's breath caught in his throat as he looked down at his chest. He had not even noticed that his heart rate had increased so much. He leaned his fingers over it, helping him to normalize, under Liam's careful gaze, still half-naked in front of him. "You really have to care so much about those notes," Liam joked.

 

"Yes ... I ..." Theo whispered, looking over the sheets in his hands. He cleared his throat. "Apparently, I don't like people touching what's _mine_ " He looked at Liam, without looking directly at him. "See you in the kitchen, hurry up or we'll be late" he added harshly, marching to the door.

 

"Okay mom," Liam said, following him with his eyes as he went out. _That morning, Theo was really strange._

 

*

 

Theo was strange all day. At school he did not stop near the lockers with Mason, Corey, Nolan and Liam, and immediately went to class, and did not show up for lunch. On the one hand, Liam tried to understand him, Theo was definitely a emotionally constipated person, probably not used to opening up with someone and he just needed to metabolize it, and Liam was happy too because he needed to work out this strange and still undefined relationship that he was building with Theo, on the other he did not like the idea of being avoided. Not by one who had declared with nonchalance just a bunch of hours before that they were each other's anchor . But Liam surely would not have stooped to look for him, he would not let to be upset by this, he would not certainly have tried to catch his attention like a puppy in need of affection. _Never ever._

 

*

 

Liam was upset. Theo had not said a single word in the car as they returned home, and after dinner he had closed in his room. The same story was repeated the next day, and it was happening that day.  
  
Liam stuck the fries in his mouth with a grim look, completely ignoring the conversation that Mason, Corey and Nolan were having, sitting around the table in the cafeteria. "What'S those fries done to you?" Nolan asked, looking at him with a raised eyebrow and an amused tone. "You have the face of one who could murder someone at any moment." Liam turned his grim look at him. "You will not murder me, will you?" Nolan added weakly.

  
Mason chuckled, pulling the chips away from his outstretched hand. "You should just talk to him," he said only, when Liam turned to look at him, before Liam could even glare at him.  
"Talking ... with fries?" Nolan asked in confusion.  
Liam widened his eyes, ignoring Nolan. "That's- that's nothing ... There's _no one_ I should talk to," he mumbled.  
"Okay we'll all pretend to ignore that Theo has not sat down with us for three days in a row, then," Mason said, shrugging. "Or you could just tell us what you did to him"

"Why should _I_ be the one who did something?" Liam exclaimed, indignant, as he reappropriated with a quick gesture of his fries. "I did absolutely _nothing_ ," he snorted.

"I got my doubts about that," Corey said with an amused grin.

"Okay I could have kicked him out of bed after my mom saw us sleeping together in his bed," Liam said exasperated.

"Did you kick him?" Mason repeated

"In front of your mum?" Corey echoed

"Did you sleep in his bed?!" Nolan exclaimed in confusion

"Yes, _but!_ the night before he slept in my bed without permission!" Liam defended himself

A few seconds of silence followed. "Your relationship scares me," Corey said

"Then he said that I'm his anchor, and I told him he's mine, and since then he avoids me. What's the point?" Liam exasperated.

"Did you just say that Theo Reaken is yours anchor ?!" Mason exclaimed in shock.

" _Yes_ , what's up with you guys today?!"

"This is even crazier than the fact that you had sex!"

" _You and Theo had sex ?!_ " Nolan exclaimed in shock

"Okay, stop it!" Liam jumped up.

"Where are you going now?" Mason asked him following him with his eyes.

"Looking for new friends" Liam mumbled, taking a few steps and then going back just to grab the forgotten fries

"Yes, yes, we all know you go looking for Theo," Corey chuckled.

"Theo has lunch at the lacrosse court for your information!" Nolan called after him.

 

Liam gave them the middle finger without even turning around. He would not go looking for Theo even to save his life

 

 

 

He was looking for Theo. He said he would not do it, but apparently his feet were moving by themself toward the lacrosse court. _Damn instinct._  
When he arrived near the stands, he catched the now familiar Theo's smell carried by the wind invading his nostrils. He felt instantly more relaxed, and infinitely more stupid. He looked around, looking for him, with no results.

 

"Are you eating those fries?" His voice suddenly came out of nowhere, making him jump. He moved toward the stands, looking confused, and lowered himself to look down.

"What the fuck are you doing down there?" He snapped, staring at him in amazement.

"You can't see? I'm having lunch" he replied, sitting on the ground with his legs outstretched and his lunch on his lap, his eyebrow arched up to him, his mouth disgustingly full.

"You're disgusting," Liam said, crouching down to join him. "You know, I know you lived most of your life in the sewerage, but I thought you'd learned the basic rules of civic life by now," he observed, then sitting down next to him.

"Enlighten me"

"Well it took you three weeks to realize that you sleep better in a bed than in a car, one week to enter the door and not the window, and it took a stone that shattered my window to make you understand that it is much easier to send me a message. And cheaper. I was hoping at least you knew that you should eat at a table and not under some dirty stands- "Theo chuckled, shaking his head" -and above all that you shouldn't avoid friends for no reason "

"I'm not avoiding you" Theo widened his eyes, looking at him

“You're not?”  
"I did not want to talk to you," Theo explained  
"This is called 'avoiding'," Liam pointed out.  
Theo sighed "I'm sorry, I just don't know how to handle this thing yet"  
"I understand you, friends can be a nuisance sometimes" Liam snorted, thinking of those three who now surely was laughing behind his back.  
"I think I know something about that," Theo chuckled.  
"You know, you should just do what you feel- yeah, I mean- be yourself, just a little less murderous," Liam said.  
"I do not think it's a good idea"  
"Stop thinking too much about it ," Liam reproached him. "Be just more- more-"  
"More Liam?" Theo suggested  
"More Liam"  
"Okay"  
"Really? Well it was easy, "Liam exclaimed, happily, now able to return to focus on his fries.  
"Hey Liam?"  
"Mhh?" Liam turned back to him, only to find himself with a fist against his nose.  
"Hey asshole, what was this for?!" He snapped, writhing on the ground, the fries now scattered everywhere.  
"For the kick the other day" Theo said happily.  
"Fuck you"  
"You told me to be 'more Liam'"  
"Fuck you again"  
"You have a chip in your hair"  
"I hate you," Liam grumbled  
"I know it's not true," Theo smiled at him as his heart skipped a beat at the lie.

_No, it was not true at all_

 

TO BE CONTINUED


	8. Types

When November began to quit in December, Theo had less and less time to worry about elaborating new schemes about Liam, and soon even Hayden slipped out of his thoughts. The semester was running out, and seniors were busy with one test after another. In addition, the school organized a Christmas prom, and during the free hours they were forced to contribute to the preparation in the gym. Mrs Geyer was not better. Theo soon discovered that the woman was crazly in love with Christmas, and realized right away that they would not escape her overwhelming wave.  
  
Right now they were right in a shed set up specifically for the holiday season and who sold only Christmas items, and Liam for well over an hour looked at a fir tree then another to figure out which one was the best. His mother would not have let it drop if he came home with a fir tree that did not live up to her expectations.

 

“Theo, that's not actually the right way to use it” Liam heard Mason's voice say, a laugh hardly held back, and that's made him turn to face the two of them standing some footsteps away. He laughed when he saw Theo with a wreath on his head by way of a halo. "This has to be hung on the door," Mason continued, slowly, as if talking to a child.  
  
Theo blushed slightly, pulling it out of his head "I knew it," he murmured abruptly. And Liam could not help thinking how adorable he was- _I mean, funny!_

 

"Yeah, and I bet you know," Mason continued, grabbing a colored Christmas string "that is _not_ _used_ as a scarf"

"Shut up, Mason, or I'll use it to strangle you," Theo said, snatching it from his hands.

"Theo, 'less murderous', remember?" Liam reminded him, continuing to look firmly at the second fir tree. Yes, that one was fine.

 

Theo snorted, looking around the store. What fault did he have if he was only 7 years old during the last Christmas he had celebrated? What could he know? He remembered only the presents and that he was looking forward to unwrap them.

 

"Now you tell me this is not a plant," Theo exclaimed, grabbing a sprig of mistletoe from the shelf and showing it to the other two. Mason chuckled, while Liam blushed.

"Not really, that's just to help people make out," Mason explained with a sneer

"Very romantic, Mason" Liam rolled his eyes as Theo turned to look at the branch with eyes wide open and confused. Mason followed his gaze "It has to be hung in the air, and if two people meet under the mistletoe, they kiss"

"Why?" Theo asked skeptic.

Liam snorted, snapping forward and taking it from his hands. "Because that's the way it is, now put it down, remember? Mistletoe is poisonous for us "

"Only if swallowed, you idiot"

"It's the same, you don't need to know by the way, it is something that only happens in movies, to meet romantically with someone under the mistletoe" Liam put down the branch and returned to think of the fir tree.

"What's he got against the mistletoe?" Theo asked under his breath at Mason.

"In fourth grade he met under the mistletoe with Sophie Raynolds, Liam did not appreciate the kiss very much"

"He screamed?" Theo asked amusedly.

" _He cried_ "

"Mason, that girl was scary, and twice my size"

"That doesn't take so much" Theo observed.

"And she had just eaten garlic knots"

" _Ew_ " Theo and Mason said together

 

When Liam had paid for the fir tree - and for Theo's wreath, even if he had no idea what he was supposed to do with it - they finally went out. They loaded it on Theo's pickup and drived home. A few minutes and several curses later, the fir tree was well placed in the Geyer's living room.

Mason pulled out the phone when it rang, "Corey and Nolan will join us at the cafe down the street," he informed them.

"Good, let's go. I need sugar,'' Theo commented, breathing a sigh of relief.

 

When they arrived, there was only Corey waiting for them, sitting at their usual table. Mason slid past him, and Theo and Liam sat in the front bench. "Nolan?" Liam asked Corey and Corey shrugged "He said he was coming, I already ordered the usual for everyone"

 

Right now, the doorbell above the door tinkled and Nolan flung himself toward them excited and agitated, almost knocking down the maid carrying a tray loaded with their orders. Everyone looked at him. "You'll never believe it, guess who just invited me to prom ?!" he exclaimed, throwing himself next to Theo.

"Who?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Phoebe! I mean, _she_ invited _me_ , it's .. crazy! "

"Wait, don't tell me we have to go in pairs to this stupid Christmas prom!" Theo exclaimed, shocked, looking at them one by one

"It doesn't _have to be_ , it's not an obligation" Liam hastily said.  
"But Nolan has a date, Corey and I will go as a couple, and you two ..." Mason said, leaving the sentence unresolved.

"I do not want to invite anyone" Theo grumbled, grabbing his just served milkshake with anger and taking a sip from the straw.

"You could also come together," Corey suggested innocently. Liam and Theo looked at each other, then Liam blushed and looked away, focusing on his coffee. "I ..." he stammered. "I have already promised to someone else"

Mason's eyes widened, shouting "Seriously ?! Who are you taking? "

Liam felt everyone's eyes on himself, especially Theo's, and became even more red. "You will see next Friday"

"You can not keep us on our toes like that, Li," Nolan protested, eating a spoonful of his yogurt, without looking away from Liam. "I did not know you liked someone from school"

"It- it's not from school"

Theo looked down at his hands intertwined on the table, trying to force his expression into a neutral one. Probably failed, given the way on the other side of the table Corey was staring at him with an almost pity expression on his face.

 

Theo had felt a sense of unease, hearing Liam say he was going with someone. Probably because in so doing, he would now be the only one without a date. _Yeah, that's surely the reason._ So, to hell, he should just have to look for someone too!

 

*  
  
"How do you invite someone to prom?"

Liam raised his head to Theo, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, the book he was reading until a moment ago forgotten. Liam paused the game at the play station.

"Why do you ask ?"

"Surely not to invite someone to prom" Theo answered ironically.

"I thought you did not want to take anyone," Liam said hesitantly, preventing his heart from picking up to the idea. _Heck, Theo could go to prom with anyone! Why should he care?_

"I changed my mind. I want to experience teenager life, and if going to stupid proms in pairs is part of it, then I will do it" Theo muttered.

"It also include dying hair and piercing tongue, please tell me you won't do that" Liam pleaded.

"If they can help to get me a date for prom, I will" Theo replied, raising an eyebrow. "So how do I invite someone?"

"Choose someone you like, approach - without your serial killer step, possibly - and ask to come to prom with you"

"Just this?" Liam nodded. "What if he says no? Can I torture him? "

"No"

"Threaten him?"

"No"

"Blackmail him?"

“ _No_ _Theo_ , and anyway no sane person would say no to you" Liam exclaimed exasperated, realizing what he had said only after. He blushed, while Theo looked at him confused.

"Really?"

"Yeah - that's, ye - yeah, just _trust me_ , no one will say no" Liam stammered.

"Okay," Theo answered slowly, keeping looking at him. "Then I will do as you said"

Liam nodded "Good" "Good" Theo echoed, still staring at him.

"Can I come back to my game? Or do you have any other obvious questions for me? "Liam asked, trying to sound ironic.

"How do you dress up to a prom?" Theo asked.

Liam laughed. "Do not worry, we'll go together to buy something"

"Okay, now you can go back to your gripping shootout, Liam," he said then, reopening his book and throwing himself back on the bed.

 

*

 

"Theo, looks like you want to kill someone," Corey said, stopping next to him.

Theo stood with his left shoulder against the lockers, carefully scanning the crowded hallway around him.

"I could do that," he sighed, turning to him and leaning his back against the cold lockers. "I would like to invite someone to prom, but the more I look for, the more I feel like nobody is really interesting"

"I can help you," Corey offered, tapping him on the shoulder and leaning against them too. "I can introduce you to someone, even outside the school"

"Would you do it?"

"Sure! So – what's your type? "

"What do you mean?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Corey chuckled. "I mean - what do you find interesting in a person?"

 

Theo seemed to think about it, his brow furrowed. "I do not know, I never thought about it." He returned to scan the crowd as if for inspiration, and his eyes found Mason and Liam, several lockers down. Liam was laughing at something that Mason probably said. "I guess ... someone ... with a nice smile. Strong .... and loyal ... honest ... and brave. Someone cheerful? _Funny_. And with ... blue eyes." Theo winced when Corey made a verse halfway between a "Mhh" and a chuckle, and realized he has zoned out. So he hurriedly turn back to him.

"What ?" Theo asked him, noting his satisfied expression.

"Ah, nothing, I'll see what I can do" he exclaimed, patting him on the shoulder with a disgraceful grin on his face.

 

*  
  
"It's hot," Theo grumbled behind the curtain.  
"But if it's practically snowing outside" Liam pointed out with a little smile, sitting comfortably on a puff outside the dressing room.  
"You know what I mean. Is this a form of torture? I think you said torture was not a conventionally sign of good education" Theo's annoyed voice said again.  
"It's just a tuxedo, Theo"  
"Put it on yourself then"  
"I will do it, you're the one who does not even know what size you are! Seriously, how did you survive so far?"  
"I think it's tight" Theo just said before opening the curtain with a click to go out.  
  
It was not tight. It was perfect. Theo was ... With tight-fitting black trousers, the tight white shirt around his sturdy chest, the first two buttons still loose, the black jacket that slid lightly along his sides, and the tie still gripped in his left hand, because obviously he did not know how to tie it,Theo was ... _wow._

 

Liam stared at him, his mouth slightly ajar. "I'm ridiculous," Theo muttered.

"No," Liam said in a whisper. _Put yourself back together, Liam!_ He cleared his throat and stood up. "I mean, it's good for you. It's definitely your size" Liam stopped in front of him. "You just have to ..." he pointed to the missing buttons. "Here-" Liam took another step forward, trying to tie them. _Why the hell was his hands shaking?_ Theo followed every his movement, mesmerized. He did not even notice that Liam had grabbed the tie from his hands, passing it around his neck. "I'll need a hand on Friday," Theo muttered as Liam tied it. He chuckled. "Well, that's what are friends for, right? Done!" Liam took a half step back, looking up to meet Theo's eyes. "Yeah?" Theo whispered, holding his gaze. "Yeah" They were definitely too close. Neither of them seemed able to force himself to take a step back or look away.

 

The clerk decided now it was the right time to check them. "How are you going in here?" she exclaimed with her shrill and overly cheerful voice. Theo and Liam jumped, finally taking a step back in the same instant. "Oh _my_ \- it seems made especially for you!" As if she did not tell the same thing to anyone! But she was right this time. Theo was perfect.

 

"Well I guess I'll buy it then," Theo muttered.

"Perfect, see you at the cash desk then" And she turned around with a dazzling smile.

 

Theo looked at Liam. "Liam, if you care about me, I need you to free me right now from this torture device!" Liam chuckled, shaking his head. But he went about to obey, but reluctantly.

 

 _That's not good,_ Liam found himself thinking as he untied the tie. _That's not good at all._

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED


	9. Jealous

The week flew in a hurry and soon it was already the last Friday before the Christmas break, or the Friday of the fateful prom. At the end Corey had arranged for Theo a adate with Jake, the barman he had met at Sinema. At that point Theo didn't care anymore, the important thing was not having to be the only one without a date. It would have been humiliating.

  
Liam still did not want to say who would take, despite Mason's insistence, and Nolan was right now convinced that this date did not actually exist. But Theo knew it was not true: in the last few days Liam had been restless and nervous, more and more as Friday approached, and it could only be for one reason. Whoever was his date, it was shaking him to the point of making him even more intractable than usual. And that's saying something.

  
He had peaked the afternoon before - when Corey had declared that now that Theo had his date too, all of them were happily arranged for prom - when he had tightened his glass so tight that he shattered it to pieces, drenching everyone of them of pieces of glass and coca cola. And Theo could not help wondering - removing pieces of glass from his hair - why people would never agree to go to dates, if they had to end up like that.  
  
Fortunately, Nolan had saved the situation and raised everyone's mood, saying that his parents would let him invite a couple of friends to their chalet in mountains during the holidays for a few days. Everyone had been very happy.

 

 

*  
  
Theo was not happy. With the music roaring around the gym, and a glass of punch in hand, he watched Mason and Corey, Nolan and Phoebe dance on the dance floor. Jake was standing next to him, swaying slightly to the rhythm of the music, and trying to pull him into a conversation, without success.

Theo could not focus. He kept looking at the entrance every minute, hoping to see Liam go in. He was the only one missing. Obviously, he was just worried that he had definitely crashed somewhere with his wrecked car! 

 

"Wanna dance?" Jake asked him suddenly. Theo shifted his attention to him as if he were aware only now of his presence.

"I'm ... I'm fine here, maybe later," he replied absently, turning his head back to the entrance, then sighing and taking a huge sip of punch.

He looked up again on the dancefloor, and smiled, shaking his head, at the sight of Nolan dancing awkwardly with his date. Then he turned his gaze to the right, where he saw Mason stuck, eyes wide, clinging to Corey's arm, as if he had just seen a ghost. Like Corey, Theo frowned and turned to follow his gaze.

 

It was as if someone had punched him in the stomach, cutting his breath sharply. Liam had just entered the front door, clutched in his black tuxedo, arm-in-arm with none other than Hayden Romero. The boy looked around the room, looking for them probably, stopping to greet the acquaintances he met with his eyes. Theo heard Mason and Corey reach him, he did not see them because his eyes did not seem to want to leave Liam. Then finally Liam made eye contact with him, and that seemed to shake Theo. He turned suddenly towards Jake, taking him by the wrist "Now I wanna dance, let's go" _He did not want to be near those two, he did not want to talk to them, he did not want to see them._ So he dragged him away firmly without noticing Corey following him compassionately with his eyes.

 

Theo was definitely tired of feeling that strange way. He felt weak, he felt _sick_. Perhaps there was something seriously wrong with him, perhaps the Dread Doctors were right when they had called him a failure.

 

He was even more convinced of it when Jake took his hands and placed them on his shoulders, then sliding his on Theo's hips pulling him closer, and all that Theo was able to think was that time at Sinema when he and Liam had danced in the same way. He recalled the feeling of Liam's hands on his shoulders, how he had leaned his head against him, laughing, how he had felt relaxed when he had reached him. Nothing compared to now, now he felt uncomfortable, he felt restless, he felt _wrong_.-

 

He dared to glance toward the sidelines of the dancefloor, and he saw Liam handing a glass to Hayden, who smiled at him, leaning over to say something in his ear, something that made Liam smile. Theo swallowed and returned to look at his date. He should not have felt that way. He felt like he wanted to run to Liam and take him away, get him away from Hayden as much as possible.

 

He looked up to meet Jake's gaze, hoping he could feel the same magnetic attraction he had felt when he was next to Liam just a few days before in the store's dressing rooms. _Nothing._ He kept moving to the rhythm of the music with him, but his mind was elsewhere. It was with Liam that day, when they had fallen asleep together, the way Liam had clung to him had made him feel good, for the first time he had felt at home.

Then all of a sudden, he was back on that fateful night, the one they had promised to never talk about again, the one Theo had tried to forget at any cost in the last two months. _Why did it happen only with Liam? Why could not he take him off his head?_ He was constantly with him, at all times.

 

Maybe it was just the fault of that wild night, maybe he just had to let go, kiss someone else? Do even _have sex_ with someone else? Maybe someone else so would take Liam's place and the two of them could only be friends as they had decided with that deal. And he would not bother again if Liam brought Hayden to proms, they could even come back together, they could kiss each other, they could sleep together, they could- Theo swallowed. _No they could not._ Theo did not want them to go back together. He did not want Hayden to have Liam again, now that he knew what it felt like to have him ... Hayden and no one else. _He wanted Liam for himself._

 

At that moment Theo realized he was fucked. He had broken the deal, he had left that night to influence his way of being next to Liam, and that was what had not to happen. Having sex with your ex-enemy could be a thing, but developing non actually platonic feelings for the aforementioned ex-enemy, werewolf, whose pack barely stands you was at the level of a cheap teen drama. Theo could not accept it.

Not to mention the fact that the deal was Liam's idea, so even if Theo had agreed to be the Romeo of the situation - because they had already established that Liam was Juliet - there was no way that Liam could ever have felt the same way for him. _Why would he ever have to?_

 

_No, he had to go over it, as they had decided._ He had to make these feelings disappear as soon as possible. And how do you say? Nail crushes nail, no? And he was lucky enough to have a nice nail right in front of him.

 

Theo struggled to return to focus on the guy in front of him, placing his arms around his neck better and getting closer, and tilted his lips into a smile. "So, are you having fun?" He shouted as he approached his ear

"Now yeah" Jake smiled in response to him by touching their foreheads. Theo already knew what was going to happen, and his brain agreed, it was suggesting him to let go against Jake's lips, but his body had other plans. And it won on reason.

 

So he remained motionless, while the other boy tentatively brushed his lips with his, waiting for a reaction, which did not come. Jake pulled back, watching Theo still motionless, eyes wide. "Are you okay?" He asked doubtfully.

"Yeah- I-" Theo sighed "I'm sorry, I can not do that." He took his hands off Jake's shoulders and stepped back.

"Is it because of your friend?" Jake asked him without too many words. Theo looked up at him. " _What_? What- what friend? " _Was he so obvious?_

"The one you've been waiting for all night to cross that threshold," Jake said ironically.

"The one did not take his eyes off me from the moment you dragged me to the dance floor." Theo's eyes widened. _Uh_? "The one who jumped out of the room as soon as I kissed you"

Theo whirled around to where he knew Liam and Hayden were, and saw that the girl was now alone. "Do you like him?" Jake asked then, making him turn back to him.  
Theo paled. "No- _no_ , I ..." he sighed again. _What the hell was happening?_ "I do not know"

"Well I _do_ know, you practically looked for him all night, you literally turn stone when he came in with that girl, what else could it mean?" Jake exclaimed in amusement. "You should go talk to him"

Theo snorted between the amused and the bitter. "It's not so easy"  
"Then _make_ it easy"

Theo looked away, "He's got a girlfriend," he muttered.

"Didn't seem to me when he ditched her, running away in some jealousy rage"

Theo issued a strangled verse. _Jealousy? Why should Liam be jealous? It made no sense._ "You're wrong," Theo whispered weakly, bowing his head. "You're wrong"

Jake sighed exasperatedly. "Okay, it will be as you say. But one day very soon you will come to Sinema and tell me that I was right. Then you will have to offer me a drink "

Theo raised an eyebrow. "Is that a bet?" "I'll give you a month," he said, walking backwards across the dancefloor.

"Where are you going now?"

"I need a drink" he concluded before turning around and disappearing, leaving Theo alone with his thoughts.

 

*  
  
"Nice job, dude" Jake chuckled when Corey high five him.

"Corey, you're a fucking genius, that's why I love you _so_ much," Mason said, looking at the two. "I do not know about Theo, but Liam was literally on fire"

"Those two are two mugs, they will never admit to having feelings for each other, if we do not give them a boost," Corey muttered.

"I think Theo needs a lot more than a boost," Jake said, raising an eyebrow.

"And Liam owes me $ 20, I told him he would not be able to ' _pretend nothing happened and not talk about it_ '"

 

*  
  
If Theo on one hand struggled to name what he was feeling, Liam was fully aware of it. It was just burning and painful _jealousy_.

He knew it from the moment Theo asked him how to invite someone to the stupid prom, and he spent the week tormenting himself over who he would ask without daring to ask him directly. He knew it from the moment Corey told everyone that Theo now had his date too, and the glass he shattered unconsciously was just another proof. He knew it from the moment he stepped into the gym and his gaze had fallen on Theo. Theo who had completely ignored him, taking that guy by the hand and dragging him to the dancefloor. Theo dancing with him, pulling him close and whispering something in his ear. For a moment that guy turned to where Liam was, and Liam recognized him, the heart that jumped into his chest. It was the _barman_ , the barman of that evening at Sinema, the one that had shamelessly tried to hit on Theo, the one Theo had smiled to for half an hour. So it was not just a flirt? Did they exchange numbers? Had they talked to each other for so long? Had they gone out together other times?

Liam clenched his fists, his arms abandoned at his sides, the punch he had taken for him and for Hayden now forgotten. _It was not fair,_ it was not fair that among all the people in the world his stupid heart had decided to go crazy for Theo. What had he done wrong to deserve this? He should have been smarter than that! Falling in love with Theo Reaken certainly could not lead to anything good, would not have led to anything but to find himself with a broken heart, when Theo would laugh in the face of his feelings, and his inability to respect a simple deal. He could already hear his laughter in his ears. And he could already imagine Scott's disappointed and worried look, Stiles and Malia's disgusted and horrified one, Lydia's anxious and surprised. He was fucked. And he also owed Mason $ 20!

 

Liam returned to reality, when he felt his claws pierce his palms, the warm blood that began to slip between his fingers. And he became aware of what was happening on the dancefloor. The _barman_ was closer to Theo and now he was pushing his lips on chimera ones'. Liam gasped, and he heard a growl coming up his throat. And he knew he could not stay there anymore. He started to turn around, but Hayden grabbed worried the sleeve of his jacket. "Liam, are you okay?"

"Ye-yeah, I just need to use the bathroom. Wait for me here, I'll be right back "And he left in a hurry.

 

He needed air. What should he do? He knew he would not be able to hide it now that he realized it. If Theo was very good at disguising his emotions and his thoughts, Liam, on the contrary, was absolutely incapable of it. Mason had understood what had happened between him and Theo without he even opening his mouth, he had spun the truth to Scott without he even asking. How could he go on pretending indifference? Especially since they lived _together_ and went to school _together_?

 

The prospect of leaving that Monday for a week with Theo -and the others - for Nolan's parents' chalet had suddenly become terrifying. _Yeah_ , Liam thought, clapping a hand on his forehead, _he was really fucked._

 

_TO BE CONTINUED_


	10. Feels like home

Early that Monday morning they had set off, and now they were squeezed into Mason's car, Mason driving with Corey beside him. And Nolan squeezed between Theo and Liam, both apparently more interested in what was outside their respective windows rather than in conversation. Nolan looked from one to the other, then crossed Mason's through the review mirror. Mason shrugged, as if to say he did not know what's up with them.

 

Nolan cleared his throat "So, Theo ... how was your first prom?" He asked hesitantly, wanting to fill the silence at all costs.

Theo winced, evidently coming out of his thoughts, and turned to Nolan. "Um ... it was not that bad," he said unconvinced.

"Your date seemed good, that's- nice, actually-"

"I guess so," Theo answered, frowning. He did not understand where he was his point.

"And will you text him?"

"Should I?" He asked in confusion.

"Come on," Nolan snickered mischievously "Liam told us you did not go back to sleep at home that night"

At those words Theo opened his eyes wide and Liam came out of his trance, turning to look at Nolan with wide eyes.

 

It was true that he had not gone back home, but actually he had just been sleeping a few hours in the truck before returning, he did not want to admit that he did it just because he was afraid to find Hayden at home with Liam. He could not bear it. He knew that sooner or later it would happen now that he knew she and Liam were back together, but that did not make it any easier. In any case, the assumption they had just made, for some reason, had got him upset.

 

"Yeah, right, it was a lot of _fun_ actually," he exclaimed sourly, to which Liam paled, his heart beating faster. "But maybe Liam should learn to mind his own business, I surely do not meddle in what he does with Hayden" That came out rougher than he meaned.

 

 

Liam's eyes widened. Corey and Mason exchanged a troubled look, while Nolan was not understanding anything anymore. "Because there's nothing 'to meddle in' about me and Hayden," Liam mumbled, blushing.

"Yeah right" Theo said with a sneer "I forgot that you two like to do your own stuff where everyone can openly see you"

 

Liam stood looking at him with a slightly open mouth, very confused. _Did Theo think he and Hayden were back together?_ Even if he did, what was his problem? He had spent the night with that cheap barman! Liam was about to tell him that Hayden had just came back home for Christmas break with her sister, that he had invited her to prom just to give her a pleasant evening with all her old friends, but the words died in his throat, and they turned in a weak growl. "Fuck you, Theo"

Theo growled in response, and Nolan stared wide as the two sharing killer looks from side to side. "Masoon, how much longer ?!"

Corey looked at the navigator. "4 hours and 37 minutes" he then announced

"Help"

 

*  
  
Theo did not want to argue with Liam, but apparently had just found out that the irritability was part of the package 'have unilateral not-platonic feelings for your taken friend-roommate'. Theo was beginning to understand why Liam was always angry. Having feelings sucked.

He stayed silent all the way in the car, did not even go down when they made a stop for bathroom and to eat something. He stayed wallowing in self pity in the car, as soon as Liam came out slamming the door violently behind him, with the frustration and anger that came out in waves from him. Theo sighed. It would have been a long week.

 

*  
 

They had to leave the car downstream, and go up with the cable car. It was obligatory, Nolan had said, so they lined up with bags and suitcases to buy a ticket. "No more than three in the cabin," the man behind the counter warned them, barely looking at them. Theo took the ticket and headed for the nearest one, and Liam behind him immediately pointed to the one on the left. Corey did not miss to notice the hurt expression on Theo's face and sighed "I'm going with Theo," he told Mason. "And I'm going with Liam," Mason said disconsolately. "And me?" Nolan exclaimed. Corey chuckled, pulling him by the arm "Come on"

 

When Mason closed the door behind him, he threw himself in front of Liam and look at him carefully. He had known Liam almost all his life. He had now the same face as when he was 11 and he tried to rub his GTA Vice City. The face of someone who has just got robbed of the thing he cares about the most in the world.

"You alright?" He asked slowly. Liam nodded, still looking out the window as the cable car began to move. "I know it's not true, let's skip the part of denial and anger and go immediately to the one where you open your heart to your best friend?" He continued, raising an eyebrow, to which Liam turned to look at him with a half smile.

"You know, you were right," Liam mumbled, biting his lips.

"When of the many times?"

"When you said that this deal thing would turn against me," Mason's eyes widened in surprise. Liam chuckled "Do not tell me you did not expect it"

"Of course I did, but I did not expect _you_ to get there so soon! It just takes you two months" Liam rolled his eyes.

"You like Theo, do not you?" Mason asked him, unable to hold back a mischievous smile. Liam blushed, and looked up at the roof of the cabin puffing.

"Mason, I can't like _him_ ," Liam moaned, then throwing his head between his hands.

"But it's what it is. Liam, I know you, you would _never_ have slept with someone you do not have any feeling for! Probably the adrenaline and all the war situation have made you speed things up, but does not change the fact that you felt something for Theo since before. It only took you some time to understand and accept it. Theo is definitely not an easy person." Mason shrugged, looking at his best friend who lowered his hands.

"I had not noticed before that night, only later I realized that I could not stop thinking about him, and the more time passed, the more I got to know him, the more I got closer to him ... and it was always getting worse'' Liam let out a groan "How did I not notice it before? At the hospital, at the zoo, that day at school, when Gabe died ... it has always been there, I can see that now, how could I not have seen it? "

"Because you were afraid," Mason said simply. "I was not joking that day at the park, you know? Your feelings probably frightened you, and the Anuk-ite influenced you, turning them into anger, anger for Theo. I seem to recall that you punched him all the time "

"I should learn just to listen to you," Liam mumbled.

"Really? So will you listen to me now that I'll tell you to talk to Theo and tell him everything? "Mason said hopefully.

Liam paled "No"

Mason snorted "All this hasn't taugh you anything"

"Mason, I won't embarass myself in front of him. I won't be the one rejected by Theo Reaken, for God's sake "

"Do you think he would reject you?" Mason asked skeptically. Liam gave him a hangdog look "Oh my god, you really believe it. You're an idiot"

" _Hey_ "

Mason rolled his eyes "At least make sure to make up with him, I'll throw both of you off a cliff if you ruin this trip"

"I'll make sure to take you literally"

"You better"

 

*

 

When Mason and Liam got off the cable car, Theo noticed that Liam's mood was already better. Theo already suspected that Mason was a saint, now he was sure.

Liam looked up from his feet, hands in pockets and face flushed with cold, and met Theo's. Theo opened his mouth to say something, did not even know what, but Liam anticipated it. "I didn't mean to meddle in your business," he said abruptly, "Sorry," he said hesitantly, looking down.

Theo struggled to hold back a smile and gave him a slight push on the shoulder, making him look up again surprised. "Don't apologize, I shouldn't have to snap at you so much for such a stupid thing," he said, walking towards Mason, Corey and Nolan. Liam crawled behind him hardly in the snow. "You won't apologize for what you told me?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow.

Theo looked over his shoulder with a grin. "Not that it was a lie ... but if you really want, I will apologize"

"You're the worst at apologizing," Liam observed reaching him finally.

"You can add it to the list of things of civil life that I have not learned yet"

Liam chuckled. It was nice to talk to Theo like that. It was relaxing. It was familiar. He felt in control again. "There is always time to learn"

 

*  
  
When they were safe in the chalet, they threw all the bags on the ground in the atrium. Mason and Corey jumped into the living room. "Wow, who decorated this place?" Mason asked, admiring the big Christmas tree in a corner.

"The caretaker, we always come for Christmas so he made sure we found everything ready yet" Nolan answered with a shrug, reaching them. Liam rubbed his hands in the cold and looked at the empty fireplace in despair. Theo looked at his face and chuckled "Do not worry, it will take a moment to light it on"

"Can you do a normal thing like lighting a fire?" Liam asked ironically. Mason chuckled.

"Obviously," Theo muttered, bending over the fire where a stack of firewood was already in front. "How do you think I got rid of my victims' bodies?" Everyone stared at him in silence. Theo looked at them from below "I was joking"

Corey burst out laughing. Liam shook his head "You're a jerk"

"This jerk has just lit the fire that will unfreeze your ass"

Liam knelt down by the fire putting his hands out " _Aah_ I'm loving you" he sighed thrilled. Liam heard Theo's heart skip a beat, even before he realized what he had said, and turned in surprise at Theo kneeling beside him, a flush on his face he could not blame the fire for.

Theo cleared his throat, turning to look at him with his usual grin "Well you should"

Liam also blushed, while Theo came back to join the others who had sat around the kitchen island.

"Look, the problem is that here we have only two double bedrooms, and the sofa. One of us will have to sleep here,'' Nolan said, slightly embarrassed, glancing at the sofa a few feet away from them.

"Mason and Corey can get one room, I do not think it's nice to know that your boyfriend has to sleep with someone else," Theo muttered.

"Thanks Theo," Mason said, putting a hand on his heart as if he were touched. Everyone giggled.

"Why don't you draw lots for the couch?" Corey asked, chuckling. "Wait" He took a receipt he had in his pocket and tore it into three pieces. On one he made a cross with a pen that was on the kitchen cabinet and then crumpled them, mixing them in his hands. "Take one" Nolan reached out his hand doubtfully first, then it was up to Theo and finally Corey brought the last to Liam, right now glued in front of the fireplace.

"So?" Mason asked.

"Nothing" Theo exclaimed, showing the blank sheet. At the very moment when Nolan cheered, Liam groaned. Corey looked over his shoulder and saw the sheet with the x.

"So Liam sleeps on the couch. And Theo sleeps with Nolan" Mason said slowly. Liam raised his head quickly, looking first at Mason, then at Theo and Nolan. He restrained himself from uttering a desperate moan. _All this was so unfair._

 

*  
  
The positive thing was that it was warm in front of the fireplace. The negative one was that he no longer felt his back. Liam moaned and turned for the hundredth time in an hour, looking for a better position. Finally he laid on his back, his right arm bent under his head and his gaze fixed on the ceiling. Upstairs somewhere, Theo was sleeping next to Nolan. He knew it was stupid. But even that simple thought made his stomach twist. And it made him hopelessly reminded of Theo's words about that Friday night, Theo had slept with that guy? Would he go out with him again? He could do it, after all that guy was not a first-class idiot who had proposed Theo a deal not to talk about it anymore. Liam wanted to choke himself with the pillow. He would have done it if the pillow had not been too far from his reach, but he did not want to risk losing that good position. He sighed exasperatedly, before trying to close his eyes.

 

*  
  
Theo couldn't sleep. Nothing around him was familiar to him, not even Nolan, even though they had been friends for a couple of months. Theo already knew that the moment he would close his eyes, his nightmares would came back, for the first time in weeks. So he turned in his bed. Nolan was asleep and at some point he heard him snort. Perhaps he was annoyed by Theo keeping turn around like a top. Theo snorted, then sat up and slid out of bed. Then he opened the door slowly and went downstairs. When he entered the living room / kitchen, he took care not to turn on the light knowing that Liam was sleeping there and used his supernatural eyes to reach the fridge and get a bottle of water.

 

"Can't you sleep?" Liam's voice suddenly asked from the couch, causing the water to go down his air pipe. Theo heard Liam sit down, giggling, and so he turned on the light.

"You scared me half to death," he said, closing the bottle. "Why are you still awake?"

"Why are you still awake?"

Theo shrugged and approached the couch, sitting next to Liam.

Liam looked at him closely "Nightmares?"

"I do not feel comfortable in this place, it's not ..."

"It's not home," Liam completed with a smile.

"Yeah" Theo returned the smile.

 

They stood for a moment enjoying the silence, then Liam cleared his throat.

 

He thought back to the jump in Theo's beat when he had blurted that thing out a few hours earlier. Maybe Mason was right? He didn't want to dare keeping his high hope, but... "You know ... just so you know ..." Liam said hesitantly, avoiding his gaze "Hayden and I have not come back together" Theo suddenly turned towards him with wide eyes "She ... she just came visiting, will stop a few days, and I invited her to prom so she could have fun with all her friends ... here- ... I do not want to go back with her, it's over by now" he concluded, carefully avoiding looking at Theo. Theo was also staring the wall before him "I didn't spend the night with Jake"

"Who?"

"The barman"

"Ah"

"I slept in the truck"

''What? Why? "Liam exclaimed, finally turning to look at him.

Theo shrugged. "I did not feel like driving," he ventured. Liam looked at him skeptically, but pretended to believe it. "And why didn't you say that right away?"

Theo sighed "Because you all had your perfect date and I could not say I had slept in the car, I would have a better shot with that lie" It was not really the truth. Theo knew it was a spite. If Liam had spent the night having fun with Hayden, then he had to say the same thing about Jake. It was what his instinct - which by now had evidently won on his reason - had suggested to him.

"You're an idiot," Liam said, but for some reason he was smiling.

 

He felt extremely calmer now, and not just because Liam was nearby. There was something about knowing that he and Hayden had not come back together, that they would not come back together anymore, that it gave him a feeling like floating. That's why he smiled back to Liam. "Do you want to watch a movie?" He asked cheerfully, grabbing the remote, while Liam nodded, sitting closer on the sofa next to Theo.

 

It would have been an incredible week

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 


	11. Gifts

At some point in the night, they must have fallen asleep. Liam barely remembered the warmth that had hit him and resting on Theo's shoulder. He had barely felt Theo's cheek to do the same against his hair. Then nothing. The fact is that the TV was still on, the sun was high in the sky and Mason, Nolan and Corey just standed here, staring at them by the threshold, wiggy in their pajamas.

 

"Do you think we should wake them up?" Nolan asked, still sleepy.

Corey shrugged. "Nay, let them sleep. Honestly, I do not want to be here when they wake up" He took the remote and turned off the TV.

Mason chuckled, holding up the phone and taking a picture of them. "This is for when Liam tries to deny" Corey smiled, taking Mason by the hand and driving up the stairs.

"Let's go to sleep, Nolan, it's just dawn"

Nolan raised an eyebrow, watching them go up, before doing the same "But if it's past ten"

 

*  
  
This time it was Liam who woke up first. Probably because of the sun that was literally blinding him from the window, or perhaps because of the pain in his back that made him thank that he was a werewolf with healing abilities because otherwise he doubted he would ever walk again.

 

Or perhaps simply because of the feeling of Theo's hot body against his. Liam opened his eyes slowly, and tilted his head to look at Theo, wedged between the back of the sofa and Liam's body, lying almost completely on top of him, his head resting on Liam's chest, his arms gently wrapping his waist. Liam's heart picked up at the view - and he thanked Theo not to be awake to hear it - but he relaxed right away, seeing the blissful and peaceful expression on the other boy's face. He could not keep his lips from tilting into a fond smile, and he raised his right hand - the only one not crushed under the weight of their bodies - to slightly dodge Theo's hair from his face, fingers that then maybe hovered a little too long on Theo's cheekbone, before he decided to withdraw his hand.

 

At that moment he found himself thinking that despite his sore back, despite the few hours of sleep, he had never slept better in his life. Theo had to think in the same way because he gave a pleasant groan - which had nothing to do for sure with the way he had slept with his legs bent backwards and that did _not_ for sure send a shiver through Liam's spine - before slowly opening his eyes and raise the only free hand he had, the one resting on Liam's stomach, to rub his eyes, as he always did.

 

This was before he realized he was lying completely on top of Liam, who was watching him. Liam saw Theo's eyes widen slightly, moving his head to lean his chin on his chest to face him, a faint blush that colored his cheeks, before the usual Theo took again hold of him.

"Are you about to kick me out of this couch? Because this time I would like to be warned before" he grinned.

"I don't know, I'm still thinking about it," Liam said, pretending to be thoughtful,

"So you can _really_ think?" Theo asked as he sat up, his hair messy and his eyes still sleepy.

"Where do you find the strength to be an asshole just woke up?" Liam grumbled, taking the sheet and using it to cover his head.

Theo chuckled "It's a gift" Then he looked at the TV "Hey, I'm sure when I fell asleep, you were already drooling on my shoulder-"

"I _don't_ drool!" Liam protested, his voice muffled by the blanket.

"Oh yeah you do, I could even have a picture"

Liam took off the cover suddenly. "It's not true!"

Theo chuckled, then pointed to the TV again "-Who turned off the TV?"

"Not me" "Me neither"

" _Oh no_ " Liam moaned, looking up. "So-"  
"Yes, we did it!" Mason's voice shouted from the stairs. "And yeah we saw you, now see if you can get dressed because it's almost noon and I'm hungry!" Finally Mason's head peeked in the door, with a grin "By the way- Merry Christmas"

 

*

 

"Is it legal to eat cheeseburgers at a diner on Christmas Day?" Theo asked, biting his sandwich, while the others laughed while sitting next to him.

"More legal than putting Liam in a kitchen," Mason said, drinking from his coke. "Remember the Thanksgiving turkey?" Liam chuckled. "When Liam took it out of the oven, it was about to fly away for how raw it was"

"It was not a lot of fun, though, when his mum came and almost fainted. She had the same color as the turkey" Corey added

"What do you know?" Liam laughed "You disappeared as soon as she set foot in the kitchen"

"It's called survival instinct"

Theo gave a look of approval to Corey "Way to go, that's what I do when Mr. Geyer goes in Liam's room"

"Admit that you're just afraid of my mum" Liam teased him.

"Let alone I'm afraid of your mum" Theo rolled his eyes.

"But if you jumped out of the window the last time she started yelling at me"

"Survival instinct" Theo repeated. "And I didn't want to be stuck in cleaning your room"

Liam shook his head, amused, and took a chip from his pile, pulling it against Theo, who caught it with his mouth.

"Awesome" Nolan exclaimed

"Did you practice taking sticks on the fly in your wolf shape?" Liam suggested

"Ah-ah _funny_ , have you ever thought of being a comedian?"

Corey and Nolan laughed, while Mason was cheking the phone.

"What are you doing, Mase?" Nolan asked, leaning over to look.

"I'm looking for something to do tomorrow nearby"

"There is not much to do here, except skiing or skating" Nolan shrugged "Ah, but there is a sort of lunapark down to the village"  
"Sounds cool," Liam commented.

"Sounds like we have a plan," Theo added, rubbing a chip from Liam's pile.

" _Hey_ hands down, you got _yours_!"

"Yeah, but yours seem more _attractive_ ," Theo said, looking into his eyes with a grin before getting up, babbling about the bathroom.

Liam didn't want to blush, it's not like Theo was talking about him. It's not like he was _flirting_ -

"He was obviously flirting," Mason whispered, as Corey and Nolan got up to pay.

Liam's eyes widened "What are you talking about, Mase?"

Mason rolled his eyes "In a clumsy and extremely Theo way - because only he can flirt and rob you at the same time - but he was flirting for sure!"

Liam snorted. _It was impossible._ Mason was rambling.

Liam took his coca cola and took a sip to distract himself. "Liam, it's time to get him and pin him against a wall!" Obviously, Liam spat all the Coca Cola in his mouth. He looked at Mason sideways. "Why do not you go to the bathroom to wash you off?" Mason suggested with a grin, winking in the direction in which Theo was gone.

"I will not make out with Theo in the dirty bathroom of a diner"

"You should, it's more comfortable than it seems"

Liam wrinkled his nose at his best friend "I didn't really need to know that"

 

*

 

Theo looked at himself in the mirror, resisting the impulse to slam his head against it, violently. _What the hell was that?_ Had he just tried to _flirt_ with Liam? Using _chips_? Theo was now absolutely sure he was going out of his mind. But he could not take Jake's words about Liam out of his head. Was it possible that Liam had really been jealous? Of _him_? He actually had not wanted to believe it, he did not think it was possible, he did not even think he deserved to think it, but he also thought Hayden was back for him, and so he tried not to think about it in those three days.

 

Then he found out that it was not like that, he felt Liam's heart rushing into the car when Nolan had asked him about his date, he had seen him blushing in front of the fireplace the morning before and he had not kicked him out this time when they had woken up practically stuck . It could mean everything, or it could mean nothing. And Theo just felt that he did not want to risk losing the only thing in the world that now made him feel calm, safe, at home, _right_ , for the first time in his life. He had to be cautious.

 

*

 

For dinner they bought take-away pizzas and they all settled in the living room, some on the sofa and some on the ground, in front of the TV.

"You've never seen 'Home Alone'" Mason repeated mechanically, looking at Theo.

"No"

Mason sighed "Now I'm beginning to grasp your murderous raptus"

"Yeah that must definitely be the reason" Theo sarcastic muttered.

Liam laughed "So we settled on?"

"Yeah, we'll watch 'Home Alone' for the millionth time in our short life," Corey said faking enthusiasm

"You Theo, take a good look, you could learn something about how not to make a plan fail," Mason mumbled happily. Liam slapped him on the back of his head slightly, but Theo was giggling. "Let's see"

 

 

"That kid is a fucking genius!" Theo exclaimed, shaking his head in admiration when the film was over. "He got a bit of a demon inside, I like it"

"You should see the sequel," Nolan exclaimed from the chair. Mason, Liam and Corey turned to death glare him.

"Is there a sequel?" Theo asked hopefully. "No," Nolan hurriedly said, unconvincing.

"I do not even need to hear your heartbeat to know you're lying"

"Okay, we'll watched it later," Mason said, standing up. "Now it's time for presents!"

 

Mason moved by the tree under which they had placed all their presents on the first night, and sat down with legs crossed taking the first. "So, this ... is mine, this too ... that too ..."

"Mason!"

"Don't be impatient, Liam" Liam snorted "This is ... Corey's. This is Nolan's, Nolan's ... Lia-ah no, it's for Theo"

" _Mason_!" Theo, Corey and Nolan laughed.

 

Theo looked down at the present in his hand. He haven't received gifts for ... _years_. Fortunately, Mrs. Geyer had thought of telling him about the gift exchange, otherwise he would have been there without anything. Well, anything but the present for Liam.

"This is for Nolan, and these two are for Theo," Mason concluded.

"Thank you," Theo mumbled, looking at them as if he did not really believe it.

Liam looked up at him from the ground, and could not help to smile fondly in front of his expression of awe.

"You should open them first, they may suck" Nolan suggested.

"It doesn't matter, um ... thanks anyway"

Mason exchanged a look with Corey, who smiled "You're welcome, Theo," Mason said. "Now let's unwrap"  
Liam feverishly began to unwrap his presents, and Theo looked up at him smiling at his exalted expression. Then he began hesitating to unwrap them in turn, fiding a wolf-shaped key chain by Nolan, a pair of jeans and a T-shirt by Corey and Mason. When he took Liam's in his hands, he saw the boy stop and look at him. Theo removed the paper, revealing a long, narrow black box. He saw Liam get up, with a gift still in his hand to be unwrap, and sit next to him. Theo gulped opening it slowly.

"I hope you like it, I thought about you as soon as I saw it" Liam murmured, embarrassed. It was a simple rubber bracelet with a steel anchor in the middle.

"Yes ..." Theo cleared his throat and turned to Liam, who bit nervously his lower lip. Theo's eyes immediately slipped on his lips, then returned quickly to his eyes "I like it" he huffed slowly. Liam smiled, clasping his hands on the present he still held. Theo followed his gaze and winced. "You know, this-" he muttered "-makes seem my gift stupid"

Liam chuckled. "It doesn't matter" And he unwrapped it carefully.

 

"Oh my god when you took this picture?" He exclaimed when he took the frame in his hand, looking at himself collapsed on the passenger seat and Theo on the front, perfect as usual. Mason stood up to look and burst out laughing. "It's the evening you got drunk, a piece of history"

Theo also chuckled. "At first it meant to be a joke, but then I looked at it and it made me smile ... because I had fun that night, for the first time in a long time, I thought it was a good memory"

Mason looked at him impressed "I did not know you were so sappy, Theo" Theo laughed, then saw Liam turn the frame, and Theo winced. He hoped he did not immediately notice the writing behind it.

 

Liam watched the back of the frame for a few seconds before realizing that Theo had really written something in it. His heart skipped a beat.

 

 _These moments are the only gifts we really need_ , he had written with a red marker and in an elegant calligraphy. Liam felt the familiar warmth in his chest that he had learned to associate with Theo's closeness and looked up at him.

 

Theo stood still, his lips clenched, embarrassed, waiting for a reaction. He almost expected Liam to laugh at him, but then Liam looked up, a big smile on his face, his cheeks slightly flushed and his eyes bright. " _Thank you_ , I think it's the best gift that's ever been given to me"

 

This time Theo felt his heart speed up, but did not bother to hide it or stop it. Because he could hear Liam's banging in his chest in exactly the same way, and together they made a perfect rhythm that Theo did not want to stop in any way. So he just smiled.

 

 

Liam had been the best gift he had gotten that year, and looking at the anchor-shaped pendant in his hand, he allowed himself to think for the very first time, that even for Liam it was probably the same thing.

 

TO BE CONTINUED


	12. Helping hand

 

Liam woke up again with a sore back, and realized again that he was not alone on the couch. Lying with his face turned to the other side, his feet stuck to his, there was Nolan. Liam tilted his head slightly, confused, then noticing Corey and Mason sleeping on the floor, hugging on the carpet and wrapped in a duvet. He moved his head to the right and to the left, and saw a blanket heaped badly on the nearby chair, a sign that it was probably there that Theo had slept. _By the way, where was he?_

 

Then he realized that since opening his eyes, he had been enveloped in the scent of pancakes and coffee. He sat up, stretching, and then stood up, turning to see Theo, busy with the stove. The chimera raised his head, and smiled at him. "Morning," he muttered, slipping another pancake from the pan to the plate. Liam forced an expression of fake shock as he staggered sleepily to reach him and settling on the nearest stool "You _cook_?"

 

Theo looked at him amused "Do you think I would get my twenties living off fastfood and ready-to-eat food?"

Liam shrugged with a smile "I was starting to suspect it, yeah" and tried to snatch a piece from the pancake at the top of the pile, but Theo slapped his hand away. Liam's gaze lingered on Theo's still-raised hand, on whose wrist the bracelet he had given was hanging. His heart skipped a beat and Liam looked up at Theo's face, on which his usual grin had formed. "You know, this perfect body needs of an adequate nutrition. You should think about it too" he throw it lightly, turning around to get two cups and filling them with hot coffee, and then glancing at Liam.

"I _am_ built too" Liam protested, apparently indignant. Theo raised his eyebrows defiantly. Liam stood up, imitating his expression "Wanna see?" Theo made a mocking verse and then faced him "Is it a challenge, Dunbar? Sure you want to play this game?" he grinned, and Liam replied taking his shirt off with a fluid gesture. Surely Theo did _not_ stare. Or at least he did not get caught staring. Dissimulating was one of the things that definitely he did better. So he kept the defiant grin on his face as he pulled his shirt off too.

 

Liam on the contrary was much less subtle than Theo. He could not keep his eyes from hovering over Theo's chest, his arms, his broad shoulders. As if trying to make fun of him, his mind flashed him the image of his hands running breathlessly through Theo's muscular back, an image dating back to that night of so many weeks ago. He probably blushed, probably he even had a half-open mouth, because when he came back down to earth, he saw Theo's satisfied grin "You like what you see?"

 

Liam was sure he would be on fire at any moment, but he thrust his pride back inside and stepped forward to Theo, entering decisively his personal space. He saw Theo's grin disappear, and he felt his breath stopping, but he did not back off. Then instinctively Liam bit his lip as he always did when he's nervous, and Theo instinctively followed the movement with his eyes, then return to Liam's. "I'm not blind," he whispered. And this time, Theo's heart skipped a beat.

 

"Neither do we"

Theo and Liam jumped in place, turning to see Corey, Mason and Nolan staring at them, only the heads visible beyond the back of the sofa. Mason and Corey had an amused grin on their faces, while Nolan moved his stupefied gaze between the two and their shirts on the ground. He sighed "I will not even ask what you were doing"

 

Theo and Liam blushed. They did not even know what the hell they were doing.

 

*

 

An hour later they were lined up to buy tickets outside the lunapark.

Theo looked around in amazement, as if trying to capture as much as possible with his eyes. Liam slowed down to walk beside him. "All right?"

"Yes" Theo turned to him, before returning to scrutinize the surrounding area. "I've never been in a lunapark," he explained.

"Really? Not even as a child? "He asked, surprised.

Theo shook his head "I could not go on the most of the attractions," he mumbled. "Because of asthma," he added to Liam's questioning glance.

"Well, I guess we should have to catch up then," he said cheerfully. "Where do you want to go first?"

 

Obviously Theo wanted to go on the roller coaster. Actually everyone wanted it. Only Liam was hesitant. The truth is that he was slightly afraid of heighs since he had almost fallen from a roof, the day Scott had bitten him. Not that he ever told anyone, it was embarrassing. But he could handle roller coasters. After all, once in moving, it's not like he had time to look down. The important thing was to never get on the Ferris wheel. That surely he would not have been able to handle it.

 

The worst part was the minute of slow ascent, before the real race started. Liam inhaled, and did everything to not look down. So he turned to Theo who had settled beside him. Theo looked back at him, his eyes bright with emotion and a huge smile on his face. Liam could have sworn that he had forgotten how to breathe at that moment. And not because of the heigh. He smiled too, and realized he would do anything to always see that naive and childish smile on Theo's face. Even if it meant risking an heart attack. What he was close to in both cases, actually.

 

 

When they returned with their feet on the ground, Liam leaned against the balustrade, with Theo panting beside him, waiting for Mason, Corey and Nolan to join them.

"It was incredible," he exclaimed. "Yeah" Liam agreed, giggling before his enthusiasm.

Nolan staggered beside them, holding on to Corey. He seemed about to throw up. "Can we do something less extreme now?"

"You are a former hunter who has waged a war against the supernatural and you're quaking in your boots for a roller coaster?" Theo teased him.

"I was constantly quaking in my boots even during the war," Nolan muttered, making the other four guys laugh.

"Okay what if we walk around to see what else is there?" Mason came in his help, holding back a smile.

 

*

 

"How the hell is that possible ?!" Theo snapped, frustrated, when another mole dodged his hammer. Liam giggled beside him, his hands dipped in a package full of candy. Theo looked at Liam "This thing is rigged"

Liam widened his eyes "It's Whac-A-Mole, Theo, can not be rigged"

"Explain how it is possible that a plastic mole can escape a werewolf with a hammer then?" He asked petulantly and apparently hurt in pride.

"Because you are an idiot?" Liam suggested, his mouth full of candy.

 

He had to expect it, the hammer blow that came against his head. And moreover, Theo also rubbed his candy.

 

*  
  
"Is this supposed to be a sport?" Theo asked skeptic, watching from the edge of the icing rink the children skating, leaning on plastic penguins.

"Do not judge it too fast, it's not as easy as it seems," Liam mumbled, amused, slipping in his skates.

Theo snorted and sat next to him to do the same. He watched Liam as he struggled to get to the rink, and his smile twisted into a sneer. "Do you want me to go getting one of those penguins for you?"

Liam turned his head to look at him. " _Ah-ah_ funny, who you think you're talking to? I'm a _master_ of skating" he snorted, putting one foot first and then the other on the ice. Theo widened his eyes as Liam, after a perfect imitation of Bambi, ended painfully with his ass on the ground. Theo burst out laughing, and he heard Mason, Corey and Nolan do the same, slipping on the ice a few meters away from them like professionals.

"A master uh, Liam?" Theo echoed, standing up and looking at him from above.

"Fuck you, like you could do better," Liam mumbled, rising with difficulty, and trying to balance.

 

Obviously he was not a master of skating, he had done it half a dozen times at most in his entire life, and every time he had fallen at least two or three times. But he could for sure do better than Theo, who had never seen a skating rink, not even in photo!

 

Apparently luck was a bitch, and she certainly was not a Liam's friend. Because Theo put one foot and then the other on the ice, and after glancing at Mason, Corey and Nolan, he moved a few feet imitating their movements.

 

Liam stood gazing at him, amazed, still clinging to the surrounding wall. Theo turned back and headed back at him. "Are you sure you do not want that penguin, Liam?" He laughed, carefree.

Liam pouted "How the hell can you do it so easily?"

"I am a person with a thousand hidden talents, apparently" he chuckled, turning around him without losing sight of him. "Do you want to stay there forever?"

Liam looked at Theo first, then Mason, Corey, and Nolan darting on the other side, apparently busy in a race. And he took his hands off the wall, moving a few steps.

 

"Tell me when you feel like you're about to fall," Theo said, sliding backwards so he could keep looking at him "I want to be sure to record it this time"

Liam snorted "And here I was hoping you said that you would have caught me" he teased.

Theo stopped with a little smile on his face and Liam managed awkwardly to reach him.

"I could" he said then, raising an eyebrow "But where's the fun in that?"

Liam snorted, and moved to get over him.

 

Or at least he tried. He felt the exact moment when he lost his balance, and saw it reflected in Theo's eyes, which burst open comically. Even if he had said he would not do it, he felt Theo's warm hands tighten around his biceps, before closing his eyes, waiting to feel the annoying sensation of his back slamming against the thin ice. Which arrived promptly, taking his breath away. " _Ugh_ ," he groaned.

 

He heard Theo laugh heartily, and opened his eyes when he realized that the laughter was too close to his ears. And that, although his body was insensibly frozen, something weighed on it. He met Theo's eyes, looking down at him from a few centimeters from his, lying on top of him as he kept his hands on the ice at the sides of Liam's head. "Okay, that's pretty fun too," he sneered, looking kneely at him.

Liam blushed. To the point that he worried about being able to melt the ice below only because of the heat that Theo provoked in him. But he cleared his throat, trying to recover his calm. "Maybe I do need of one of those penguins" he mumbled, unable to look away from Theo on top of him.

 

Theo laughed, and looked up when he sensed someone approaching. "Guys, do what you want but not in front of children," Mason joked with Corey giggling behind him. Theo snorted and gave a push to get up.

Liam refrained from uttering a moan of protest when he lost contact with Theo's hot body, but then Theo held out his hand with a smile to help him get up, and he almost forgot.

 

"Hey Liam" Liam turned to the direction where Nolan's amused voice came from, and saw him approaching with a plastic penguin. "Here you go"

"Fuck you, Nolan"

 

*

"It's almost sunset, I think we have time for a last ride," Mason announced, looking at his phone, before putting it back in his pocket and turning to the others. Liam looked at Theo. "Why are you looking at me?" Liam chuckled "You should pick up something now."

Theo looked around, then used his thumb to point to something behind him. Liam followed it with his eyes, and paled. "Do- do you want to go on the Ferris wheel?"

Theo shrugged. "I guess it's cool to see the view from up there"

Liam wanted to say 'I pass' but did not want to look scared. Theo would never have let him live it down.

"I pass" Apparently, for Nolan that was not a problem. "Sorry, but I'm scared of heighs, I'm gonna wait for you in the pizzeria over there" said, raising a hand. Liam was considering the idea of following him when Mason grabbed Corey's hand and dragged him. "Okay guys, Corey and I take a cab for us, see you down in 20 minutes" _Damnit, Mason!_

 

Theo looked at Liam expectantly, and Liam looked up at the taller cabin at the moment with an uncertain expression. "Let's go then?" Theo asked him, seeing that Liam was not moving.

"Ye - yeah let's go" he gave up at the end.

 

"Are you okay?" Theo asked him, sitting in front of him as the cab began to rise, noticing his tense position, his fingers frantically drumming on his thighs.

"Uh? Eh? What?"

Theo assumed an even more suspicious expression. "Something's wrong?"

"No, absolutely not, what should be wrong?" He ranted, carefully avoiding looking out the window. He did not help his cause much.

"Looks like you've just seen the Anuk-ite," Theo said, shifting his gaze from his pale face to his trembling hands.

Liam sighed, "I'm fine" he said then in the more convincing tone that he managed to pull out.

It seemed to work because Theo turned to the outside to admire the view. " _Wow_ " he gasped. "Everything looks so small from up here" he chuckled, then turned to Liam. "Do not you want to look, Liam?" He added, with something in the tone that suggested to Liam that he was teasing him.

Liam narrowed his eyes in his direction. "It 's just a mountain covered with snow lit by the light of the sunset, how much can be beautiful?" Liam mumbled, unconvinced.

Theo's smile returned to his usual grin "Please don't tell me you're afraid of heights"

"I'm not afraid of heights" Liam snapped, paling

"Your heart seems have a different idea" Theo observed, amused.

"My heart is a liar"

"Okay" Theo sighed, getting up. Liam followed him with his eyes. "So you don't mind if I do this?" Liam's eyes widened as Theo began to swing his body from side to side, making the whole cabin shake.

"Theo stop!" Liam paled even more, making Theo laugh even louder. " _Theo_ "

Liam growled, snapping to his feet and pushing Theo back into his seat, blocking him on it with his hands on his shoulders. Theo chuckled and looked at him, as he slowly regained control, slipping next to him this time.

Theo tilted his head to look at him "So you're really scared?" He asked then, now without the tone of mockery. Liam looked away in embarrassment, blushing slightly. "There's nothing strange, so many people are afraid of heights" Theo said. "Everyone is afraid of something"

 

Liam looked at him, this time with a frowning expression "Are you afraid of something too?"

"Yeah" Theo sighed

"Of what?" Liam said, wondering what could scare someone like Theo.

"Your mum"

Liam looked at him a second before bursting out laughing "You're an idiot"

Theo also smiled "Don't tease me, this is serious"

Liam shook his head, amused, daring to glance outside.

 

Theo kept staring at the back of his head, and saw him again stiffen. His smile slowly faded to disappear. And his eyes went down along Liam's body, until they stopped on his left hand, a few inches from his, tight around the edge of the seat so strong that the knuckles were now white. _Take it,_ a voice in his head urged him. Theo swallowed. _Be more Liam_ , he found telling himself while, without thinking too much, he raised his hand to place it over Liam's. It was not a real hold, but it was still a contact. Theo felt Liam's hand tremble beneath his and he raised his head at the same moment that Liam turned to him with a surprised and hesitant expression on his face. Theo realized that he was holding his breath only when he tried to speak, and the words came out like a breath "I heard ... that physical contact helps in these cases"

“ _Uh_..yeah” Liam stammered.

"I'm sorry to have dragged you over here," Theo added hesitantly.

Liam seemed to come out of a trance, and jumped slightly at those words "No ... no- that is, do not apologize. Everything's fine. I just ... just have to think about something else, "he whispered, still keeping eye contact with Theo.

"Okay, then think about something else," Theo said with a half smile. "Ask me a question"

Liam frowned "Seriously?" He asked amused.

Theo nodded with a shrug "Of course"

"And will you answer true?"

Theo narrowed his eyes "We'll see about that"

Liam snorted in amusement, then he returned serious and stared the empty seat in front of them, as if he was reflecting

"There's one thing I've always wanted to ask you," he finally said, looking back at him.

"Okay spit it out"

"Remember that day in the locker room, with .. with Gabe?" Liam asked slowly. Theo nodded, looking like he already knew where he was going. "I asked you a question but I did not give you the chance to answer"

Theo looked down, focusing on his intertwined feet. He remembered well. _Why are you trying to save me?_ Liam had asked him. He sighed. "I ... I did not want you to end up killing someone" he said.

"Why did you care?"

Theo shrugged. "I did not want you to ever carry such a burden, the burden of having killed someone." Theo looked up from the ground to the view outside, as the wheel began to come back down. "Because I know what it's like, to have to live with it. I did not want it to happen to you "

Theo winced when he heard Liam move his hand under his, and thought he had said something wrong. He turned in their direction, while Liam turned his hand and let their palms touched. Theo automatically intertwined his fingers to his. He stared at their entwined hands as he was enchanted, for the way they seemed to be made to be together, then he looked up when he heard Liam take a breath. " _Thank you,_ " he just said, with a fond smile on his face that Theo could only reciprocate.

 

And if Liam's heart was pounding now, it was not definitely for fear.

 

*

 

_10 minutes before_  
  
Corey and Mason stared impassively at the cabin where Theo and Liam had come up, visibly shaking "What do you think they're doing?" Corey asked slowly.  
Mason shook his head with frowning eyebrows. "Hell, I hope they're fucking. Really, all this sexual tension is killing me! "

 

TO BE CONTINUED


	13. Lifesaver

 

Just that morning Liam allowed himself to think that things were going surprisingly well. No trouble in sight, no supernatural threat, no news about Monroe for months. They were enjoying a pleasant trip. They were enjoying _life_. But apparently fate had a dark sense of humor.

 

The same evening, the fifth day of the trip, they were all blissfully in front of the TV, to instruct Theo on popular culture of what he was obviously lacking, surrounded by pizzas, drinks and various junk food.

 

"So I'm practically Voldemort," Theo muttered, thrusting the popcorn into his mouth, while Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was over.

"Technically Voldemort never actually died," Liam specified

"Technically neither I"

"Voldemort doesn't have a nose," Liam insisted, determined to defend his point

"With all the times you broke it, I went close to it too," Theo frowned.

"Do you want to try again?"

"Ah shut up, you're just envious, Longbottom"

Liam grinned "You actually just gave me a compliment, but how could you know? You are not-"

 

Theo never knew what he was not, because at that moment Liam's phone began to ring. Liam glanced at the screen and froze, grabbing it and then watching his friends. At their interrogative look, he just replied "It's Scott" And then he answered, jumping up and walking away from the confusion to speak better.

 

"What will Scott want at this hour on a Friday?" Nolan asked doubtfully.

"Do you think something happened?" Corey said slowly.

"We'll find out soon, it seems," Theo muttered, grabbing the remote and turning off the TV, while Liam was back in the hall, his face gloomy.

"What happened?" "Is someone dead?" "Monroe?" Mason, Theo and Corey said at the same time

"We have to go back to Beacon Hills, right?" Nolan whispered

Nobody answered for a few seconds.

Then Liam nodded. "He did not give me the details, he said he would send someone to explain everything to us tomorrow," he explained gravely

"Well it was nice as long as it lasted," Mason grumbled at last, sighing. "Now we go back to the usual routine"

 

*

 

The next day they woke up early, and they set off to be in Beacon Hills for lunch. There was a tense silence in the car, but a tension different from the one that had filled the outward drive. It was a silence full of expectation, of fear and anxiety. For months they did not feel like that. They had cradled themselves in a sense of quiet, they had allowed themselves to concentrate on their lives, on everyday life, on banality. But they knew that the weight of responsibility would soon come back to weight on them. After all, Monroe was still out there, still intent on eliminating every supernatural creature that cross her path. And they knew that sooner or later they would have to go back to fighting.

 

 

Mason pulled out of the clinic, and as soon as they were all out of the car, the door opened and Deaton appeared in the doorway. "Come in, fast" he urged them, moving to let them pass. The group marched in a row toward the operating room. And they stopped in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow at the man standing in the middle of the room.

"Apparently something made Scott think I was the right person to babysit his puppies pack" Peter sighed, rolling his eyes.

Theo laughed. "Look, he was speaking of you, too" Liam pointed out. Theo shut up.

 

"Cut to the chase" Peter snapped, clapping his hands. "Then, the mission" Peter took a step forward and the group took a seat around the operating table. Deaton stood aside watching the scene, silent "It seems that Monroe has reopened the hunt for werewolves. This time they act in small groups, they move at night, they attack mostly omega, or weak and isolated packs. And they tend to trap "

"They understood that face-off will not work," Theo commented slowly. Peter nodded. "Scott received cries for help last night. A couple of omega have escaped an attack and are hiding. They asked support "

"To us?" Corey asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Scott has become a reference point since his last meeting with Monroe, everyone wants the help of the True Alpha, he is the symbol of resistance," Peter mumbled, almost annoyed to have to admit it. "But as much as he is tirelessly optimistic and ridiculously heroic, not even one like Scott can do it all by himself. That's where we come in - "

"What should we do?" Liam asked immediately.

"You will not be in this team," Peter immediately said, looking at him.

Liam opened his mouth, upset, but nothing came out for a few seconds. "What-what does it mean?"

"Scott wants you to join him, Derek, Stiles, Lydia and Malia in Los Angeles. According to information, they have put a nice army against those two omega. I, and these four, will take care of the small fry. "

Liam shifted his gaze to meet Theo's, next to him. "It will be all right," the chimera whispered, but even the humans in the room could sense his nervousness. Peter rolled his eyes "It will be only for one day, let's fix it and in a heartbeat we'll all be again not-safe in Beacon Hills"

"It seems easy," Nolan said, unconvinced.

"And how should I go to Los Angeles?" Liam asked skeptically.

"Scott has already sent Malia, she is coming to get you"

"Now?!"

"You have an hour at most, we will leave tonight instead" Peter quickly said, looking first at Theo, then at Mason, Corey and Nolan. "See you at the loft at 10 pm, on time" And without saying anything else, he turned on his heels and left.

 

Liam's heart was beating rapidly, panicked. _What the hell had happened suddenly?_

"Hey" Liam felt a warm, light touch on his left hand, and looked up to meet Theo's green eyes. The boy looked at him with apprehension, while with his thumb gently stroked his little finger "It will be all right," he repeated.

Liam swallowed "I do not like the idea of leaving you alone with him" he whispered.

It was not a lie. It was not even the whole truth.

Theo laughed lightly "Don't worry, I'll keep my eyes open on everyone"

Liam gave a trembling breath. "Theo, don't do anything stupid"

"I will not do anything you would do then"

Reluctantly, Liam let out a laugh "Asshole" he muttered, the tone full of fondness that jarred with the insult.

 

"Hey guys," Mason interrupted them, peeking out the door again, this time his face without malice, completely replaced by worry. "Do you want a ride home?" Theo and Liam looked at each other again before Liam nodded, while Theo moved his hand away from the beta's.

Liam clenched his fist at the sudden lack of heat, suppressing the temptation to stretch his arm and take Theo's hand once and for all, take it and not leave it again, look at him and tell him the truth, tell him that he did not want to be separated from him, he did not want to fight if not by his side, because he _knows_ , he feels that they fight better when they are together, he _knows_ he has someone who constantly watches his back, he knows he can be there to watch _Theo's_ back in case of danger. He wanted to tell him that he needed him there, he needed him as he had never needed anyone else, but instead took a breath and relaxed his hand, swallowing words and feelings. It was not the time nor the right place for that. So Liam just follow Theo and Mason out of the clinic.

 

*

 

When Liam came out of the shower, he found Theo in the living room, sitting motionless on the couch. He stepped in and threw the bag on which he had placed documents and clothes for emergencies in the armchair. "Malia texted me that she will be here in 15 minutes," he said, and Theo finally looked up at him. And just nodded. "Everything okay?" Liam asked him, still standing in the middle of the room.

"Yeah," Theo mumbled, "Yeah" he repeated with more firmness. Then he jumped up. He looked at Liam, then at the travel bag, then Liam again and finally stared at the floor. "I thought it was the first time since I came back that we will not fight side by side," he observed.

Liam nodded "Yeah"

"Try not to get yourself killed, Li" Liam looked up at the tone of supplication in Theo's voice "If you do, I will bring you back to life only to kill you with my own hands"

Liam let out a nervous laugh. "I promise that I'll stay around for a long time, you will not get rid of me so easily"

"Well, it will be better." They locked their eyes in the other's eyes, enjoying the mutual presence, the heart that beated a reassuring rhythm. Despite the anxiety, fear, adrenaline, they felt in control. They felt safe.

 

The sound of the clacson, together with Malia's smell, signaled to them that it was time. Liam took a deep breath, and reached out to take the bag, throwing it on his shoulders. "See you soon" Liam mumbled, glancing at him, and saw Theo nod, his lips tight, his face pale despite he wsa keeping in controll his heartbeat and his chemosignals. Liam put his hand on the doorknob, and opened it, before taking a breath and turning back again.

He saw that Theo had followed him, stopping to look at him on the threshold of the living room. His heart lost a beat, and instinctively brought his tongue to wet his lips, before biting the lower one. "When we come back, there's something I need to tell you," he just said. On Theo's tense face passed quickly a shadow of surprise and curiosity, then replaced by a smirk. "Funny, I was about to tell you the same thing" Liam returned the smirk, before opening the door and leaving the house.

 

Everything would be fine.

 

*

  
It turned out that there was not much to do. When Lydia, Malia, Stiles, Derek and Liam got there, Scott and Argent had done most of the work. Unfortunately only one of the two werewolves survived. A no more than sixteen boy, named Alec. However the night was far from over. Argent had sent Scott the coordinates of one of their old armories, in order to use it as a temporary hiding place. They had to prevent the hunters on the trail of Alec from finding them. So that's where they headed.

 

Alec had remained silent throughout the drive. When they went in the armory, Derek and Malia had stood guard on the roof, while Lydia and Stiles had offered to go look for the electric generator to have at least a little heating; Scott had gone out to get in touch with Peter, and Liam was left alone with the young werewolf, allowing himself to relax a bit. The mission was ended well. At this point, even for Theo and the others it had to be a piece of cake. He looked at his watch, probably thy were still on their way

 

Then he glanced at the boy on the floor and sighed.

 

"Here," Liam said to him, approaching the corner where he had flinched and offered him a sweatshirt. He looked up, taking it slowly "Thanks" he mumbled putting it on. Liam leaned back against the wall a few feet away from him. Alec studied him carefully before speaking "Are you a werewolf too?" Liam nodded "Scott's beta?"

"Yep"

Alec sighed "You're lucky, he ... looks amazing"

"He is" Liam smiled at the werewolf "He's incredible"

"I would not be here if it was not for him," he murmured, staring into space.

Liam remained silent for a few seconds, then cleared his throat "I ... I'm sorry for your pack" he whispered, avoiding looking at him.

"We knew they would come, we expected it. But we fought until the end "Alec bowed his head" They told me to run away, to be safe ... and I did it. They are dead, I am alive. The crazy thing is that it does not seem true to me. You know, when you think you have all the time in the world ... you think things will never change .... I thought the day of my diploma, the day of my wedding ... they would have been there with me, instead in a blink of a eye suddenly you realize it's not like that anymore "

"I know" Liam's face darkened "I lost friends because of Monroe and her hunters"

Alec looked at him "My only regret is not having told them how much I loved them, how much I needed them" Liam's heart skipped a beat, and almost instinctively his thought went to Theo.

 

"They knew it," Scott's voice interposed. Alec and Liam turned to him. "They knew it, that's why they gave you time to run. Because they needed you to be safe as much as you needed them. "Alec gulped, then slowly nodded. "Why do not you go lie down a bit? You haven't slept in two nights "

"Yeah... yeah," Alec grumbled, accepting the hand that Scott offered him "Thank you, se- ... see you tomorrow then" And walked towards the back, where he had seen Stiles and Lydia put up sleeping bags.

 

Scott watched him disappear and then turned to Liam, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" He asked him with a smile. Liam nodded and let himself be involved in a hug. "How are things going in Beacon Hills?" Scott wanted to know.

Liam shrugged. "It's not bad, we were almost starting to get bored"

"I do not believe it," Scott chuckled.

"Believe me, fancy that Theo was seriously thinking about gardening with my mom to fight boredom," Liam said, amused.

The smile lingered on Scott's face at Theo's name, and he stared at him. Liam winced as he recalled that Scott was unaware of all the recent developments. "I guess the idea of leaving you two in command has not degenerated into a continuous fight between wolves then"

Liam laughed "No, he ... he and I ... now it's ok" he muttered, not knowing how to explain himself

"Do you trust him?" Scott asked him suddenly

"I trust Theo with my life'' Liam answered immediately without missing a beat, without looking away from his alpha.

"Well, and I trust you." Scott lifted a hand to ruffle his hair, and Liam smiled, then biting his lip nervously. Scott watched the movement, squinting "Are you okay? Is there anything else I should know?" Liam started to open his mouth "Ah! As long as they are not intimate details, I could not stand other shocks like that "

"Scott!" Liam protested, rolling his eyes.

Scott laughed. And then he put his hand on his shoulder again "What's wrong?" he encouraged him comfortingly. "Here ... well ... he could ... he could be, yeah, that's - he could be my anchor" Liam bobbed confusedly

Scott widened his eyes "What?"

"And I'm his!" He added as if on the defensive.

Scott stood looking at him with his mouth ajar and his eyes wide "This is unexpected," he said.

"Tell me about that" Liam snorted, running a hand through his hair.

"You ... do you have feelings for him?" Scott asked hesitantly.

Liam's eyes widened, the heart picking up " _Uh_?"

"Liam"

"Uh ... if - if was it?" He finally gave up, his cheeks colored slightly, avoiding looking at him. He did not want to do anything that would stir Scott's disappointment.

"Liam" Scott sighed with a smile "I will not interfere in your choices, who love or not depends on you ... and if it's Theo you want, if he makes you happy, I'm happy for you ... I'm happy for _both_ of you"

"G-good, because tonight I realized that I do not want to wait anymore. I'll tell him as soon as we get back, stop delaying "Liam mumbled, talking more to himself than to Scott.

  
"You'll tell what to whom?" interjected the ringing voice of Stiles coming in through the door followed by Lydia.

Scott and Liam looked at each other, then turned to Stiles at the same time. "Nothing" "Nobody" they said together

Stiles didn't buy it for one second.

*  
 

"So, will you tell me why you're so thoughtful?" Peter snorted, throwing himself on the stool at the counter next to the one where Theo had sat.

Theo raised an eyebrow in his direction, his hands wrapped around the forgotten mug of beer. "Do you seriously want to have a touching conversation with me?"

Peter rolled his eyes. "Well, I admit that hearing you blabbering about what makes you so worried enough to let me alone with the brats would be very cathartic for me" And he rubbed his mug of beer and took a sip.

Theo gave him a little smile "You're worried too" And he took his glass back.

"Of course I am," Peter snorted "My daughter is out there, and my nephew" He tapped his fingers on the counter "And the guy I tried to kill a couple of times, and now is my son-in-law"

Theo chuckled. Then he took another long swallow. "You know, sometimes I would like to go back to when I did not feel anything, no feeling, no bond ... it was probably all easier" he mumbled, concentrating on the amber liquid in the glass. "Nobody to fight for, nobody to protect ... nobody to love"

"You could get back to it," Peter suggested with a shrug

"I couldn't, no more"

"What happened to the ruthless and fierce chimera of death?" The wolf teased him

"Liam happened"

Peter turned to look at him "Ahh" he sighed "Scott McCall's small, impulsive, adorable beta. Well you always feel bound to those who resurrect you ... speaking from experience, "he sneered.

 

Theo snorted "It's not just this. I owe Liam so much more than just my life, I owe him my _soul_." He took another sip "When I came back I started to feel everything again, especially bad things. Regret, pain, sadness, and they were all for my sister, and for Scott and his pack, for what I had done. Then I realized that there were also good things, like desire to protect, to be accepted, fondness ... and they were _all_ for Liam. I do not even know why, where or when, but he has become the heart of everything for me"

Peter listened to him carefully and then reached for his glass "I think you're drunk"

Theo looked at him sideways, "Why am I talking to you?" He asked ironically.

"Because I'm incredibly charming," he said as he drank the last sip of beer in a theatrical gesture. "Now-" he then got up "- we're doing our job, then when we'll be in Beacon Hills, _you_ will go to your beta and tell him everything you've babbled now to me. I never want to feel you reek again of despair and frustration like now, or I could die of it "

"Can you put that in writing?"

 

*  
  
On the return trip home, Liam felt stoked. He felt so damned ready for this that he wondered why he had waited so long. They had faced a thousand battles and another thousand would probably have come, they did not have to waste any time in stupid hesitations and leave it 'til tomorrow. It was now or never.

 

When Malia pulled up in front of his house, Liam turned to greet her. "Are you going back to Los Angeles?" He asked.

"No, I think I'll wait for Peter to come back to the loft, I want to make sure everything's fine" Malia gave him a hard look, but Liam knew she was actually worried and anxious as he was. If not more.

Liam smiled "Good" Then he got out of the car and watched the car start again. Then he took a deep breath and turned to the house. The lights were off, his parents had gone to spend the New Year's out as usual, and Theo obviously had not arrived yet. He would have waited for him.

With a smile and an incredibly light heart, Liam climbed the porch steps and headed for the door. Then he almost had a heart attack when he saw that someone was sitting on the bench by the door.

" _Mason_! Damn it, dude, did you want to kill me? "Liam exclaimed, putting a hand on his chest. Mason stood up and stepped forward, and Liam could look at him. He had cuts on his face, and was full of dust and dirt. And he had an unlit, grim face. "Mason, what happened?"

"Liam ... it was a trap, the omega betrayed us, she gave us away of her own free will," Mason stammered, his hands trembling.

"What-? Wai- Why are you here? "Liam gasped and looked at the dark house in front of him "Mason, where is Theo? "

Mason inhaled, trembling more violently "They thought Scott was with us, they wanted to blow us up, Corey and I were out to stand guard, but Nolan- would have died if Theo had not shielded him"

 

Liam felt his heart pounding against his rib cage, as if it wanted to get out of his chest. He gripped his hands, his claws piercing his palms, but he did not care. The smell of blood mingled in its nostrils with that of Mason's desperation. The breath seemed to be stuck in his throat. "Where's Theo, Mason?" He croaked again. The eyes that flashed between gold and blue focused on Mason's wavery ones. The human took a breath and gulped "He's at the hospital, they're all there"

" _Mason_ ..."

"It's serious, Liam, it's very serious"  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even know if I like this chapter or not, it took me days to write it, but- well, it's just a chapter of passage, don't hate me >.<


	14. First love

 

It had been two days since Liam had found Mason in his porch waiting for him. Two days since Theo was in the hospital. Two days that Liam did not leave his side. He felt exhausted, broken and desperate for reasons that had nothing to do with the few hours of sleep he had had. Melissa had advised him several times to go home, but he had not wanted to. He would not have moved from there. He would not be alone in a house where everything screamed 'Theo', where everything smelled of him. He would not have been there waiting to know if Theo would have be saved or ... or ... He could not even think about it. He did not want to think about it.

 

"Has he been there all day?" Scott whispered to his mother, watching from the door Liam asleep in the armchair in the corner of Theo's room.

"It's been there all weekend" Melissa sighed, "He did not want to leave"

Scott sighed too. He knew very well how Liam must feel. Then he turned his gaze to Theo, lying unconscious, his face blindfolded and covered with burns on every part of his body.

"Do you think he will be saved?" He asked his mother, looking back at her.

"This morning I gave him the nine herbs, they should start to work if all goes well"

"Liam knows?"

Melissa shook her head "I did not want to give him false hope in case they did not work. They were serious burns, not to mention the trauma caused by the explosion. It is a miracle that Peter and Nolan have come out almost unharmed"

"It's my fault, I sent them there, it's me that Monroe wanted"

"It's not your fault, honey, you know. None of them was there against their will. They were ready for anything. And Theo ... he willingly threw himself on Nolan, to protect him. He could escape, but he didn't. That's something- I never expected to see. "

Scott sighed "Neither did I, I should have listened Liam from the beginning. I think he always knew" His look went back to his sleeping beta "Liam understood Theo as nobody else ever did. I … think they are very similar in so many things. Both have had their inner demons to face. But at the same time they are completely the opposite. It's... like they complement each other. "

"The so-called soulmates" Melissa smiled. He patted his son's shoulder and then turned to the chairs in the hallway, where Mason, Corey and Nolan were dozing. Melissa sighed and smiled. "I'll check him later, you will stay here, honey?"

Scott nodded.  
 

And as Melissa disappeared down the hallway, he crossed the threshold and stood beside Theo. He raised a hesitant hand before grasping the chimera's, and slowly he took his pain. It was a burning pain, but certainly lighter than it was when he had absorbed it the night before.

Suddenly he felt a slight pressure against the hand gripping Theo's fingers, and widened his eyes when he felt the boy's fingers tighten slightly around his. At the same time, Theo coughed, and Scott looked up at his face.

"Hey," he whispered, letting go of his hand and stepping to the left to be closer to his face. Theo painfully tilted his neck to look at him. "Scott" croaked. He tried to clear his throat. "What ... what happened?" He asked weakly.

Scott sighed, pursing his lips. "An explosion, in the warehouse. The omega has traded her life for yours"

Theo moaned, "Son of a bitch," he then remarked, closing his eyes to the atrocious pain that must have passed through his body.

"Stay quiet, you're still healing, the nine herbs must have just begun to kick in. You're a chimera, it took you a lot more time than us to heal "

"Thanks for reminding me"

Scott snorted, unable to hold back a smile.

"Scott," Theo wailed again. "Whe ... where is Liam?" The alpha's face came back serious as he made his eyes meet the other.'s "Is he fine? Is Liam okay?" Theo slurred hardly.

Scott nodded and turned to Liam still asleep. Theo followed his gaze with difficulty, despite the pain that even the slightest movement caused him. "He stayed there all the time, he never stepped away from you" Scott said softly, not losing sight of him. He saw Theo's eyes widen, perhaps out of surprise or perhaps from the realization who had struck him that there was really someone there waiting for him to come back. Scott clearly heard Theo's heart speeding up, and this time he knew it was not for the pain. It was the first time he felt an emotion clearly transpire from Theo, who was usually always composed and impassive. He kept looking at him while Theo stayed there as enchanted watching Liam sleep beside him.

 

"You love him, don't you?" Scott asked him, bringing Theo's attention back to him.

"I do not know" Theo answered, looking at the ceiling. "I have never really loved anyone in my life. I just know that I need him, I need to protect him, I need him to stay by my side, I... just know he made me feel human for the first time in a long time. He made me ... feel _real_ "

Scott listened him in silence, and remained quiet for a few seconds. Then he smiled.

"First love" Scott said. "That's how it feels like." Theo widened his eyes slightly, while his mind returned to that day many months ago in the clinic, when he had told Scott almost the same words.

"Yeah..." Theo whispered, but his mind now seemed elsewhere.

Scott put a hand on his shoulder gently. "I wake Liam up now"

 

*  
 

Liam had sunk into a haunted and restless sleep, made of images of Theo dying, Theo disappearing, Theo leaving him alone. Images that left him empty, upset, broken. Images that he did not want to see.

 

He felt a hand touch his shoulder. Then he heard Scott's voice calling his name, and caught his smell, and finally opened his eyes. He met his alpha's eyes, and for a moment he tried to kept it together and remember where he was.

 

His eyes widened in fright, but then he saw the smile on Scott's face. "He's awake," he just said. Liam knew he was holding his breath, and kept doing it even when he whirled around toward the bed where Theo had been lying motionless for nearly three days.

Scott squeezed his shoulder in comfort, while Liam literally jumped up. "I'll leave you alone" he whispered, before going out slowly.

 

Liam stood motionless for a second, staring at Theo, his heart beating furiously, as if he did not really believe Theo was awake, that he was there, that he could hear his heart beating at an almost constant pace.

"Hey," Theo mumbled slowly.

Liam seemed to come back to his sense and took a few careful steps toward the bed. Theo looked up to meet his eyes and finally Liam got his breath back.

His mind was running fast, he could hardly keep up with it. He was overcome by relief, adrenaline, anger, fear ... at the same time. And his body focused on the one of them it could do better .

 

"You ..." Liam said halfway between a sigh of relief and a growl. He closed his eyes and shook his head, before uttering a sound of frustration. He covered the short distance between him and the bed, until he could rest his thighs against the mattress and grasped with both hands two flaps of the nightgown they had put Theo in when he arrived at the hospital.

"... You're a _liar_ " he said then, the voice barely coming out of him. Liam reeked of so many emotions at a time that Theo's eyes widened in surprise. He did not even believe such a thing was possible. "You said ... you would not have done anything stupid" Liam growled, keeping his eyes closed and his head down, not letting him go. "You said ... you would not have done anything that I would have done"

 

Theo let out a trembling breath, lips in an half smile. "I said I would keep my eyes open on everyone. I would not have had the right to come back to you if I had let Nolan die "

 

Liam looked up with wide-eyes, panting to keep control, and looked at Theo, "So you did it for me?"

"Maybe. At least that's the logical explanation I gave myself for everything I've done since you brought me back. I thought I owed it to you. But, you know, I realized one thing: that I have to stop looking for logical explanations to all of this, because actually there are not. When Nolan was in danger, just as when you were, or Mason, or Scott, I ... my body just moved on its own will. Because it was the right thing to do. Because I wanted it. And _you_ taught me this, Li. You are not my anchor just because you help me to keep my humanity, you _are_ my humanity "

 

Liam, with his chest rising and lowering, drew a trembling breath, unable to stop looking the other right in his eye. He tightened his lips, and shook his head again ad to push away a bad memory. "You ... You nearly died, Theo. I ... heard your heart slow down until it almost stopped" he stammered then, the anguish that oozed from every word. "I thought ... you just wouldn't wake up anymore ... I thought ...-"

 

"I'm fine now, Liam" Theo reassured him slowly, raising a hand and placing it on his, still tight around his cloth.

"No ... you don't understand ..." Liam shook his head, the voice that now seemed to be about to break, while the anger finally left room for fear. "If it was not for Melissa ... if Peter had not brought you here in time ... you ..."

Theo raised his other hand slowly to wipe a solitary tear that had slid down Liam's cheek. "Liam, look at me, I'm _fine_ ," he repeated slowly, looking him straight in the eye.

Liam gasped, still panting, wet cheeks, and looked first at Theo's eyes, then instinctively looked at his lips. He saw Theo follow his movement and do the same, holding his breath in turn. "To hell with it" Liam grumbled, tightening even more his grip on the tissue and using it to pull Theo slightly towards him, while at the same time he threw himself forward, making their lips harshly meet.

  
 

He felt Theo wince against him, the hand that first covered his, slipped to his wrist, his fingers swaying on his arm, as if unsure whether to touch Liam or not.

Liam drew back slightly uncertain when he realized that Theo was not really kissing him back. But he stayed half-lying against him, his lips only a few centimeters from the chimera's lips, and looked up at Theo's eyes. And he smiled.

Theo's eyes were wide open, watery for what could be emotion, or pain since Liam was completely over his crushed body, his face flushed, and his breath panting, his heart beating like it was about to burst out from his chest. He took a few seconds to understand that _fuck, Liam had kissed him._

"You know" Liam whispered softly, the breath that tickled his lips, given their proximity "it is used that when someone kisses you, you should kiss back"

Theo looked down at Liam's lips, almost still amazed that he had really kissed him. He felt the wolf leave his grip on his shirt, and realized he was about to step away. And suddenly, Theo knew he wanted more. To hell the thoughts, the plans, stop trying to understand every reason behind every gesture, his or others. He wanted Liam. Liam and only Liam. He wanted him so bad that it almost hurted. And he wanted him now.

So, before Liam could do anything more than step away of a few inches from him, Theo ran a hand behind his neck and the other on his side, and pulled him back against him, making their lips meeting again. But this time he kissed back.

He felt Liam moaning against his lips, his hands on the sides of Theo's body, so he wasn't completely on top of him risking to hurt him

When Liam opened his mouth, Theo took the chance to deepen the kiss, bringing his hands from his neck to his hairline, gently caressing them. He pulled Liam even more against himself, through the pain. Because now there was a fire that ran through his body, a fire that had nothing to do with the burns. It was something pleasant, enveloping, that for a moment made him forget about everything else. There was only Liam, snuggled up against him, his warm lips that greedly tasted his, hands that finally moved over his body but cautious as if Theo were something so precious that he was scare to break.

Liam pulled back a few millimeters, their breathing mixed together, then returned to his lips again as if he could not force himself to separate. He touched them lightly, then took Theo's lower lip between his gently, snatching a moan at the chimera, before placing a last chaste kiss on them and lifting up slowly a bit, resting his forehead against Theo's, as they catched their breath, eyes shutted.

When Liam opened them again, he met Theo's eyes, who looked at him as if he was mesmerized. "Don't you ever try to die again" he whispered, his tone firm despite his burning cheeks, his breath tickling his lips.

"Okay" Theo whispered in a last gasp. Liam tilted his lips into a smile, biting his lower lip, probably trying to metabolize what had just happened. For once, Theo did not want to analyze anything. He just wanted this moment to never end. He moved his hands along Liam's arms, who had returned to settle on the sides of his head. He followed his own movement with his eyes, and then returned to look at Liam.

"I told you" Theo whispered, as his usual smile returned to pucker at his face, making his heart beating even faster, if possible.

"What?" Liam asked, almost instinctively imitating his smile

"That you were bad to keep the deals"

Liam let out a light laugh, rolling his eyes "Look who's talking" he teased him.

"Maybe we need a new deal" Theo suggested, frowning

"Stop deals" Liam stopped him right away. "Ans stop talks, now I just want-" He paused, making their noses touch gently, while Theo smiled against his lips. Because he already knew what Liam wanted. So he captured his lips again with his own.

He felt he could stay like that forever. He would do it. If it had not been for Mason. _Obviously_

  
 

  
 

_"Mmm-hmm"_

When they heard someone clear his throats amused, Theo and Liam parted and turned to the door. Corey, Nolan and Mason were at the door, both with big smiles on their faces. "Finally," Corey muttered, shaking his head

"Hell, it took an almost dead experience to get your head out of yours" Mason grinned

"Only I did not know anything about that?" Nolan asked doubtfully.

"Yeah" Mason and Corey said together, looking at him shocked.

"Damnit, Alec also knew it and he's only been here for three days" Corey remarked  
  
 

"Anyway, I'm happy for you guys!" Mason exclaimed, hopping towards the bed and jumping on it and then throwing himself on Liam's neck and squeezing him tight. " _Mase_!"

Theo laughed, while Corey and Nolan imitated him by sitting down the first at the bottom of the bed and the other on Theo's right side

"Whatever, you had your five minutes with Theo, now it's our turn," Corey chuckled.

"Yeah" Nolan agreed, happily, throwing himself forward and clasping his arms clumsily around Theo's bust as much as he could "You saved my life, Theo! _Again_ "

Theo groaned in pain, but smiled "You're welcome- yeah but you're hurting me, Nolan" Nolan sit back quickly, while Mason giggled "You did not look in pain though, when you had _Liam_ spread on you"

Theo removed one of the pillow from under his head and threw it against the boy, who grabbed him on the fly while the others laughed.

  
 

Theo relaxed back against the pillow and looked at the group around him. He felt a pleasant squeeze in his stomach, a restful warmth flooding his chest. At that moment, he felt a pressure on his left hand, and saw Liam's hand intertwined with his. He looked up to meet his blue eyes, and returned his smile. Probably Liam already knew what he was thinking, he already knew how he felt. At that moment he was at _home_.

  
 

TO BE CONTINUED


	15. Everything

  
 

"Home, sweet home," Liam said too cheerfully, as he opened the door of his house, holding it open because Theo could step in.

"You're ridiculous," Theo commented, crossing the threshold slowly with a half smile on his face, suffocated immediately by a moan of pain. He brought a hand to rub his left side and stopped, mentally cursing.

"Everything okay?" Liam asked immediately, the expression now worried.

"I'm fine, Liam," Theo said almost exasperatedly, rolling his eyes.

 

It was since he woke up that morning on the hospital bed, with Liam lying down next to him, his hand still close to his, that the wolf kept asking the same question, with that look anxious as if he feared that Theo could collapse at any moment. On the one hand Theo felt his chest tighten to the way Liam seemed to care for him, it was a feeling he liked, on the other he hated it. He hated feeling vulnerable. He hated being pitied. "It's only the last wounds that are healing"

 

Liam snorted, while Theo limped towards the sofa, throwing himself over without too much preamble, then emitting another moan of pain "Yeah of course, you are really looking good" he mumbled, reaching him.

"Melissa would not have let me out if it was not all right," Theo muttered, his voice muffled and his face still against the sofa cushions.

Liam looked at him standing next to it for a few seconds, before rolling his eyes "Can't you get up, right?"

"Right"

 

Liam chuckled, before sitting down next to him, on the edge of the sofa, not to end up on the other's legs, and helped him sit up. Theo gave a grunt of protest as he sat down for good, and then he met Liam's gaze.

"Do not look at me like that," he just said, and Liam could swear it was the first time he saw Theo pouting. He was cute, not that he would ever tell him something like that. It was not really the compliment that someone like Theo would surely like

"Like what?" He breathed amused, unable to hold back the smile to the other's expression

"As if you're afraid I'll breakdown at any moment," Theo exclaimed with a snort of fake indignation. "I hate it. I'm a chimera gone to hell and risen, _fuck_. It will not be a small firework to knock me out "

"Okay," Liam sighed, a smile who still held on his face. "I'll stop" And gave him a solid pat on the back.

" _Argh_ " Theo groaned, clenching his eyes and slumping against the backrest, writhing

"Mmh .. Sorry, oh unshakable chimera," Liam said sarcastically.

Theo opened only his left eye, but it was enough to give Liam a killer look. Liam laughed, but then he put his right hand on Theo's left one, and slowly took his pain.

Theo also opened the other eye and slightly raised his head from the back to look, almost hypnotized, the black lines that came from his fingers to Liam's forearm and then disappeared under the rolled sleeves of his sweatshirt. Liam slightly widened his eyes to the pain that pervaded him "Do you call that 'be alright'?" He exclaimed, almost irritated now.

"You're the one who almost took my shoulder off"

"Oh don't get dramatic now, Mr. Gone-to-hell-and-risen"

"You know, you should learn to take your responsibilities," Theo replied, now with a half-grin on his face and a provocative tone, to which Liam looked at him raising his eyebrows with a sly smile on his face. "What? Do you want me to kiss it better?'' He challenged him.

Theo held his gaze, with the same identical smile on his face. "Maybe"  
 

They had not talked about it yet, about whatever was happening between them now, after the kiss of the night before, but, Liam thought as he approached his lips still twisted in a smile to the chimera's ones, maybe words were not meant for them. They were more the facts types, punches rather than insults, kisses rather than big declarations. Then they had all the time that they wanted. And they both wanted to make the most of it.

 

 

But apparently they couldn't. Their lips had barely touched gently, when someone opened the door with a slam, taking big steps. "Hey there" Malia announced loudly before stopping at the living room door. Theo rolled his eyes, and growled softly. "This is getting ridiculous" Liam chuckled.

 

Malia took two long strides toward the sofa, her gaze fixed on Theo and pointed at him. " _You_ "

Theo and Liam looked at her confused. Not just because she literally barged in there from nowhere, but because while pointing the finger at Theo, she didn't smell of anger (which was the smell that she usually had when she was close to Theo) but of euphoria.

"I didn't do anything," Theo mumbled, just in case

Malia shook her head, as if to tell him she did not want to hear that nonsense now. "Mason told me you know how to get a werewolf drunk," she said bluntly.

Theo raised an eyebrow in her direction. "So?"

"Is that true?"

"Liam, is that true?" Theo asked amused, turning to him.

Liam nodded, clenching his lips " _Very_ true," he moaned then, when he remembered the hangover of the next day.

"Oh my _God_ ," Malia exulted "Where have you been for all my life?" She sighed.

Theo opened his mouth to answer 'in the sewers' but Liam had to foresee it, because he nudged his ribs to make him shut up.

At that point, Malia could not contain her euphoria. "Well then for the party tonight you bring the alcohol," she ordered in a cheerful tone that anyway did not admit arguments, then turned, and started to leave, literally hopping.

"Hey wait, is there a party?" Liam called in confusion.

Malia stopped and turned to him, rolling her eyes "But where do you guys live? Have you forgotten what day is it today?" To Liam's confused face, she snorted exasperated "New Year's Eve, dumb and dumber. And since we're all here now, it's worth celebrating "

"And where is this party?"

"Here," Malia exclaimed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Liam wided his eyes and turned to Theo. "Are we throwing a party?" Theo whispered

"It seems we're throwing a party," Liam whispered in reply

"You knew it?"

"I didn't" Liam returned to Malia "Why _here_?"

"Your parents are not there, what better place?"

"Derek's?" Liam suggested, widening his eyes

"Derek has officially banned parties, raves, romantic secrets date and other shit like that from his loft. His words, not mine "

Liam thought for a moment "Well, he's got a point" Then he sighed "Okay, so it's a party"

 

*

 

In the early afternoon, Theo had officially recovered and the last wounds had disappeared, leaving nothing but scars on his skin. As a result, he returned to being the usual Theo.

 

"Do you mind giving me a hand?" Liam exclaimed, stopping trying to push the sofa and glaring at Theo sitting on the kitchen counter eating chips. And staring at him, but he could not know about this.

"Liam, you're a fucking werewolf, how can't you push a sofa against a wall?" He teased.

"Sure, then when my mum comes back and I'll have to explain to her why there are claw marks on her precious sofa, know that I won't let you escape from the window this time" Liam threatened, cheerfully. Theo looked at him motionless for two seconds then put the chips next to him and decided to join him.

"Hell, you're really scared of my mum," Liam chuckled, looking at him in disbelief, while Theo reached him by the couch, preparing to push.

"Shut up, Liam, or on her way back she will find your face clawed"

"Do you really want to risk staining the sofa with my blood?" Liam challenged him even more amused.

Theo sighed.

 

*  
  
"What the fuck did it happen to your face?" was the first thing Mason said when Liam opened the door to him and Corey.  
"A certain _asshole_ " Liam took care to scream these first words before lowering his voice "can not keep his claws off"  
Corey narrowed his eyes "I already told you right? That your relationship scares me?"

 

*  
 

"Wow Theo, don't you think this is a little too much?" Mason exclaimed staring in amazement at the living room table that had pushed against the wall like the sofa, now almost entirely covered with wolfbane alcohol.

Theo shrugged. "If Malia wants alcohol, she's having alcohol"

"What about food?" Mason asked

Theo and Liam looked at each other "What food?"

Mason looked at them as if they were two idiots, what they probably were.

"The thing you're supposed to eat?" Corey tried.

"There are chips," Theo said pointing at the counter where he was before.

"But if you've finished it"

"Do not act like you didn't eat them too-"

"I-"

"Okay, enough," Mason said exasperated. "Food, let's get back to the food!"

Liam shrugged "I could cook-"

"NOO!" Corey and Mason shouted all together. Mason, alarmed, took Liam by his shoulders. "The turkey, Liam, remember the turkey"

"Okay" Liam snorted "Theo could cook-"

"I will not approach that fire"

"Then-"

"Pizza" Corey exclaimed grabbing Liam's cell phone from nearby and throwing it to him "Just order pizza"

 

*  
  
"Where did Corey go?" Liam asked, when the preparations finally ended, slipping on the couch next to Mason and handing him a can of coke.

"To get Alec, he did not know where the party was" Mason looked at him "Theo?"

"To buy some fireworks," Liam said. Mason looked at him confused. "He says it can not be New Year's Eve without fireworks. We've made him watch too much trash movies" Liam shaked his head

"I thought he said he wanted to stay away from fires"

"He just likes to be dramatic" Liam rolled his eyes and took a sip of his coke.

Mason glanced at him, while a grin slowly formed on his face "Sooo ... finally you did it"

Liam almost choke with his coke, and took a couple of seconds to try to go back to breathe, then turned to Mason with watery eyes " _What_?"

"You did it, the kiss ...? Last evening...? I thought I would be drowned in your repressed sexual tension at any moment "

"Don't be dramatic, you too"

"What did you think I meant? Do not ... do not tell me you had sex? "

"We didn't have sex"

"Actually you _already_ had sex"

Liam fell silent, cheeks now burning. Then he stammered "I-it's not the same thing, that's- now it would be different from that time- I mean-"

"I know what you mean, I understand, you're right" Mason backed him up. "You will have time to define things, what's matter now is that you have stopped with the ignoring things and have finally talked about it"  
  
Liam probably has again printed on his face that expression absolutely readable, because Mason widened his eyes "You didn't talked about it" Liam didn't answer. It wasn't either a question. "What the hell did you do all this time?" Liam was about to open his mouth "No I do not want to know," the other interrupted him. "Okay" he sighed then "Why?"  
Liam took an anxious breath, and almost whimpered "I do not know, you know I'm not good at words, Mase"  
"Oh yeah, I _do_ know"  
"I do not even know where to start-"  
Mason though about it for a moment. "You know, maybe you should just do it by your way, do it, act, no thinking, that'is it."  
"Yeah," Liam said, nodding slowly with a smile. "This sounds just like me."  
"Yeah," Mason smiled at him. "It will end bad for sure," added the smile fading  
"Likely"

 

*

 

The party was going well. In that no strange creature had swooped breaking the windows, no hunter had fired against the house, and no one had been poisoned by the wolfbane. Well, maybe no one but Malia, but that was not anyone's fault but hers.

Yes, according to their standards, it was going _very_ well.

 

"Hey guys, there's only ten minutes to midnight," Mason announced excitedly.

"Should we go out and prepare everything? I mean, Theo bought so many fireworks that we could almost blow up a building" Scott commented, as Stiles fumbled in the bags.

"Damn, guys, do you believe it? Another year has passed." Stiles sighed, looking suspiciously at a large firecracker. "This by the way was a hellish year"

"You could say that, dude," Theo said from the couch, drinking from his glass. Liam laughed from the seat next to him.

"Are you sure they are not dangerous?" Nolan asked, looking at Stiles waving a wrap of paper.

"Nobody will die," Lydia said lightly, putting on her coat and waving them out.

"Was the banshee talking? Or the naive teenager who is usually the first to die in horror movies? "

The chatter of the pack dispersed as everyone followed Lydia out the door and into the garden.

 

 

"Aren't you coming?" Liam said, turning to Theo who had stayed sitting on the sofa. Theo turned to look at him slowly then nodded, and stood up. He followed Liam to the still-closed front door, the voices of the others filtering through it, softened, and stood there in front of him, while Liam gave him his back to get their coats.

Theo looked around and then looked back at Liam. "Do you remember?"

Liam turned to look at him, confused "What?"

Theo glanced back at their surrounding, with a half smile on his face. "We were right here in this point when I kissed you the first time"

Liam returned the smirk, and took a step forward, the coats forgotten. "Did you finally admit that it was you who started it that night?"

Theo snorted amused, bowing his head, and then raise it again and meeting Liam's eyes. "I don't really know if it meant anything at the time ..." he continued in a whisper, taking another step forward, his slow and measured movements, completely opposite to that first night. Liam closed his eyes to the touch, when Theo reached out to take his hand, before filling the gap between them and making their lips meet in a kiss, firm but at the same time trembling, eager but at the same time frightened. With every touch of their lips, however, they seemed to acquire more and more confidence. Liam used his free hand to cup Theo's cheek, while Theo used the free one to pull Liam even closer by his side, tilting their heads to deepen the kiss. After what seemed like an eternity, they broke it, their fronts touching. Theo was the first to open his eyes, and deep breathed. "I don't really know if it meant anything at the time," he repeated in a whisper, "but now it means _everything_ "

 

Liam released a trembling breath before opening his eyes and meeting Theo's. "That night," Liam whispered at last, without moving an inch away from Theo, "I was the first one to pull back. I was afraid of what could happen. I was _terrified_ , but ... I was also the one who then kissed you again" And he kissed him again. He heard Theo tremble against him as he tightened his grip again, his hand walking on the fabric of his shirt on his back. "I did it because maybe I wanted it," he added against his lips.

"And I kissed you back because maybe I wanted it too." Theo placed another gentle kiss on Liam's lips, and Liam tightened his grip on their hands still intertwined. And he used it to gently guide the other, but not outside. He walked backwards, starting to climb the stairs that led upstairs, repeating what had happened that night two months ago, but with a calm, a care, a fondness that then was missing. Theo followed him, in his movements and with his eyes, mesmerized.

"We literally climbed up the stairs," Liam recalled slowly, "no time to think, I just knew I didn't want to stop it." Liam stepped on the last step, stopping in the middle of the hallway.

"And for the first time I did not want to stop and think. So I quitted looking for a logic and I did what I felt I wanted to do" Theo whispered back, and took a step forward, while Liam almost knowing what was about to happen, made it one back at the same time, going to crash against the door of his room. In a blink of a eye Theo's lips were again on his, in a kiss that was deep, sweet and delicate and at the same time was messed up, breathtaking and harsh. Liam could not describe it, neither could Theo. It was just perfect. It was just totally theirs.

 

Right now Liam could swear to literally hear the fireworks, and not just because outside and in the distance someone had really started to shoot them, but because of the feeling of Theo's body against his, because of the feeling of Theo who was holding him so gently as if he feared to hurt him in some way and at the same time so tightly as if he were no longer willing to let him go. And maybe it was like that. Liam knew he would never wanted to let him go.

 

When Theo stepped away from him to catch his breath, they were both gasping, their heads spinning, and Liam felt he was not afraid of feeling dizzy for the first time. "Then I opened the door-" Liam said, reaching out to take the handle, this time finding it on the first stroke, and with a slight push opened the door slowly. Theo let out a trembling breath and let Liam drive him inside his room. They stood there for a few seconds looking at each other, still too damn close. Theo placed a hand on his cheek stroking it lightly and then sliding it down, along the neck, on the collarbone, on the chest, on the abdominals. Liam never stopped looking into his eyes, still panting, and let out another trembling breath. Theo's hand stopped at the end of the wolf's shirt and slowly lifted it. Liam bent to the movement, letting himself be undressed. Then he did the same with Theo. With a final sigh, Theo cupped both hands on Liam's face and pulled him into another deep kiss, simultaneously taking a step forward, pushing Liam and making them both end up with a dull thud on the beta's bed.

They took a second to adjust their position, Liam reached the pillow, letting his head sink on it, and Theo got on top of him, hands on the sides of his head, before nailing him to the mattress with another kiss. Liam moaned into the kiss, his body that instinctively rolled forward to get closer to Theo's. Get even closer, as if any proximity was ever really enough. He raised his hands to wrap them around the chimera's neck, then moving them slowly on his shoulders, stroking his back. Theo bit his lower lip, trembling at the touch, snatching another moan from him. He stepped away of a few millimeters, while both breathed to catch their breath. Theo looked up to meet Liam's eyes, who smiled at him. Theo raised his hand instinctively to push his hair out from before his eyes. Liam followed the movement, squinting at the touch, and then sighed.

 

"It's ... like that night," Liam whispered then, opening his eyes. "But at the same time it's a completely different thing. Because that night we were just two stupid kids, who did not know what they really wanted. Now I know it. I want _you_. I _need_ you, Theo. And not just for one night. I need you with me, for as long as it will be possible. I do not want to spend another second of my life away from you"

Liam gasped, while Theo kissed his neck and then laid his forehead against his chest. "Me too" he whispered against his skin. "I do not know exactly what it means, I just know you're _here_ , you're _real_ , and you're an idiot, really, most of the time" Theo stifled an affectionate laugh "but you're _mine_ , Liam, and I would never want you in another way, I would never want anyone else in the same way. I did not believe love actually existed, I did not even believe that _I_ could love, but then you came and you changed _everything_ "

 

Liam breathed deeply, bringing a hand to caress Theo's hair, and using pressure to make the boy lift his face, still buried against his chest. Theo raised his head slightly, and Liam used the grip behind his neck to pull him up and bring their lips together again.

"I love you, Theo" he whispered against his lips.

Theo widened his eyes, staring at him with a mixture of surprise, wonder and devotion. He closed his eyes, as if to let him go to that rush of emotions, then slowly opened them again. "I love you too," he replied, and watched the smile uncontrollably bloom on Liam's face, and all he could do was imitate him.

 

 

And while the fireworks was blowing outside, and the cries of happiness of their friends announcing the new year were muffled to their ears, they stood there, wrapped in their mixed smells, clinging to each other. And although well aware that, despite everything, there was a war out there, a war to fight, that night they made love.

 

 

*

 

The next morning, when Liam opened his eyes, his first thought went to Theo. He could not bear to turn around and see that Theo was gone again. He held his breath, until the slow and steady beat of the boy's heart resting beside him reached his supernatural ears. He released his breath and turned to look at him. His heart lost a beat when he saw that Theo was already awake, on his side and looking at him, a relaxed expression and a smile that tilted his lips.

"Hey," Theo said, when Liam met his gaze, his voice still raspy with sleep.

"Hey," Liam replied, mirroring his smile, his heart leaping faster in his chest.

"I was afraid you were gone," Liam admitted.

Theo, with his head resting on his left hand, the elbow with which he was propping himself on the mattress, raised his other hand to move Liam's hair from his eyes. That gesture had right now become familiar to him in some way. "I won't leave, unless you want me to do it," he said in reply.

Liam's heart beat even more in the chest "I don't want you to leave, _never_ " Theo smiled and stopped leaning on his hand, to bend down and place a light kiss on Liam's lips.

"You know, I think we missed the party," Theo commented

"Matter of opinion"  
Theo chuckled, shaking his head and sliding back onto the mattress, pulling Liam closer.

Liam placed his cheek against his chest, rocking with the soothing rhythm of his beating. "Theo" then he whispered as he felt sleep pulling him back. "Hmm?"

"What the hell are we?" He asked quietly.

Theo, the arm around his shoulders, the hand caressing his hair, seemed to think about it. "We are friends, we are allies, we are anchors, we are a pack, we are lovers ... and I know I would like you to be my boyfriend"

"We're a lot of things" Liam said, looking at him almost amused

"We are everything. _You_ are everything to me. I have never loved anyone as I feel like loving you, and right now I feel like I can never stop doing it, as if I could never love someone else as much as I love you "

"Then don't do it," Liam whispered, looking deeply at him and leaning back to kiss him. "Me too," he then said, moving away a few inches, a smile on his face.

"What?"

''Me too, I would like to be your boyfriend"

Theo returned Liam's smile, squeezing him and pulling him even closer. "Looks like we reached a new deal in the end," Theo chuckled.

Liam hit his shoulder, snorting. "Shut up, you idiot"

"I know you love me," Theo teased.

"I do" Liam laid another kiss on his lips, before settling back against him, Theo who continued to draw random motifs on his skin in a relaxing rhythm, waiting both of them to sink back into the dream world.

 

Theo let himself be lulled by the rhythm of Liam's heart, the feeling of his warm skin against his, which reminded him that it was all real, it was all true. He let himself be lulled by the rhythm of his own heart, the one he had never believed in, the one he had not even thought it could belong to for so long. Now he felt it, he was beating fast, beating for that little boy who, while fighting against his own rage, had also succeeded in winning Theo's. That boy, to whom even though he had given a thousand reasons not to trust, to want him dead, to hate him, actually had wanted him by his side, had saved him, had _loved_ him. Liam had been able to put back together the pieces of a broken person.

He had given him a new chance in life, trust, had given him a pack, a family, a house and a home.

And Theo had been able to see Liam beyond his anger, beyond his fear and insecurities. He had seen Liam for what he was, for _who_ he was. He had seen his strength, and at the same time his purity. He had become his fixed point, his support, his anchor.

 

 _What the hell were they,_ he had asked so many times too. He knew it now. They were each other's mirror. They were the same, but opposite. Complementary. Perfect half. Soulmates. They were all they could be for each other: themselves.

 

 

*

 

 

"Do you think we could go to the Sinema one of these nights?" Theo asked suddenly, interrupting the silence

"Why do you want to go to the Sinema?"

"Ugh, I have to offer someone a drink, for a bet that I seem to have just lost"

 

Liam had no guts to ask any more questions.

 

 

 

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the end. Hope you liked the story, I enjoyed so much writing it!  
> And thanks to everyone who has lost their time reading my ramblings, above all everyone who have always commented under each chapter, you made my days!


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